I'm a big fan of to-do lists. I use them as an external memory bank, storing up all of those tasks that are important, but I'm unable to work on at that moment.

Need to make changes to my insurance plan in a few weeks? On the to-do list.

Need to call someone back when I'm not in a meeting? On the to-do list.

Need to change the cat's litter every week? On the to-do list.

It's super helpful to let something else remember everything that floats through my head. However, every few weeks a task is added to the to-do list and it just stays there forever. I look at it and think "I really don't want to do deal with that right now" and easily find something more appealing to do.

Ryan BonaparteNovember 17, 2016Motivation, Work, Productivity, Action

Become an Expert by Demonstrating Your Area of Expertise

Looking at the definitions of expert and expertise, you would be hard-pressed to see a meaningful difference between the two. In fact, as you probably could guess, expertise is derived from the word expert. However, in practice, the two words are very different, with one increasingly becoming more important in today’s workforce.

Ryan BonaparteSeptember 27, 2016Expert, Work, Practice

In The Quiet of The Morning or The Dead of Night

We all have our most productive time of day dictated by our chronotype, the natural times of activity driven by our circadian rhythm. For some it's the dead of night, after everyone has gone to sleep, and there's nothing left but your thoughts to keep you company. The evening can be a great time to be productive, and for some it is probably the only time.

But for me, and many others, there's nothing like an early morning to get going on something wonderful. Before everyone else starts moving, the world is just...quiet. And there's a lot of very interesting research that points to why the mornings can be the most productive time of day.

Ryan BonaparteJuly 6, 2016Productivity, Work

Lost and Found: Starting On The Path of Recognizing Passions

We've all been there. Stuck on a project, job, or even a career that just does't seem to fit. We might be capable, and even excelling at our work, but that doesn't mean we like it.

The feeling goes deeper than 'not liking it' though. It doesn't fulfill us. Most days are spent looking forward to when we walk out the door to the office and get on with the rest of the evening when we get to do what we want. Most weeks are spent looking forward to the weekend for the same reason. And most months just seem to go by in a blur, waiting for the next holiday, vacation, or anything that keeps us away and busy with life.

When you think about it...that's a terrible way to live life. We spend so much time working, it's a complete waste to do that while being miserable. But what's the alternative? Living a life of leisure, and most likely poverty? Wasting the work that we have put into building our education, the sacrifices that others have made for us, and the potential good we can do in the world?

No.

Ryan BonaparteJune 1, 2016Passion, Career, Work, Effort

The Number One Killer of Dreams

We all start out with dreams. Big ones and small ones. Maybe you wanted to become an astronaut. Maybe you wanted to cure cancer. Maybe you just wanted to make a nice dinner.

Those were my dreams, and growing up, if you asked me what I wanted to be I would rattle off the names of all of the professions: scientist, chemist, astronaut, dirt bike racer, chef, and a computer programmer (in that order).

And if you had met me early on in college, I would have told you that my goal was to cure cancer.

We all start out with dreams. But then they start to fade. Reality sets in, and the truth comes out that our dreams are just that: dreams.

But do you know what the biggest killer of dreams is?

Ryan BonaparteMay 24, 2016Confidence, Dreams, Success, Work, Effort, Motivation, Progress, Action, Career

How To Ask The Right Questions and Get Better Answers

Time is of the essence. If you’ve ever asked a question in a meeting and half of the time is spent going over what you already know, or worse, something that is completely irrelevant, you know the feeling of having your time wasted. Time is money, energy, and progress, so having your time wasted is not acceptable.

Here’s how to ask the right questions to get you the answers you need quickly.

Ryan BonaparteMay 19, 2016Action, Work, Time, Success, Learn, Help, Communication, Business

Work Smarter and Harder

We’ve all heard the advice, “Work Smart not Hard.” At its core, the saying focuses on the topic of effective effort. Effective effort can be summed up as making sure that you are work towards your actual goal and not just working to get stuff done.

Working smart is not enough to achieve your goal.

Ryan BonaparteSeptember 29, 2015Work, Effort, Goals

How To Use Your Weekends Wisely

Most of us are pretty busy during the week. We're going to work or school, cooking, cleaning, taking care of our families, and taking care of ourselves (if we can find the time of course). So needless to say, me telling you to take on another activity is probably not what you want to hear. Who has the time?

However, one thing that has helped me push through more than one project when at my busiest was this:

Use my weekends wisely.

What do I mean by this? Let's take a step back first.

Ryan BonaparteMay 29, 2015Work, Hobbies, Time, Passion

How I Use My Time Effectively To Work My Passions And Achieve My Goals

For those who know me, I'm always working on at least three things, if not more. Currently, I'm working full time as a strategy consultant, painting two websites (this one and TheNewTutor.com), finishing up the second edition of Crazy Enough To Try (surprise!), and a host of other smaller activities.

I'm also trying to fit in time for fun, spending time with my girlfriend, family and friendships, and continuously learning. So the questions is, how do I do it?

PopularRyan BonaparteFebruary 17, 2015Success, Passion, Action, Work, Time

How Many Irons Do You Have In The Fire?

We all have dreams of where we want to be, what we want to achieve. We might be just starting out, or closing in on those dreams, but there's always a little more that can be done.

Having multiple opportunities going at once is a surefire way to bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

Ryan BonaparteFebruary 12, 2015Passion, Dedication, Patience, Work, Connect

When Have You Done Enough With Your Passions?

It's no secret: when you're working your passion, you're going to get consumed. There's always going to be one more thing to do, one more word to write, one more calculation to make, one more person to connect with. In all honesty, it's never going to end.

So how do you do decide when to call it quits for the day? When have you done enough to feel that you've accomplished what you are meant to do?

I have this same problem, so here are the ways that I know that I can take a break and do others things (eat, sleep, etc.)

Ryan BonaparteJanuary 29, 2015Passion, Work, Action, Priorities, People

If You're Not Passionate, You're Missing Out

"New Year, New Me!"

A lot of people, myself included, like to take the time during the beginning of the new year to reflect on life and our choices for the next 365 days. I'm not big on resolutions, but if there's ever a good time to start working towards a new goal, now seems as good a time as any.

In addition to holiday fun and travel, I've had the chance to work on some really fun projects that I'll be sharing here shortly (almost done, but not quite). During that time, it became even more clear to me that if you're not passionate about what you're working on, you're missing out.

Ryan BonaparteJanuary 6, 2015Passion, Work, Motivation