Monday, January 21, 2019

 


Keating, Ray.
The Realistic Optimist TO DO List & Calendar 2019. Manorville, NY: Keating Reports, 2018. Paper. $19.99  http://www.pastorstephengrant.blogspot.com/ https://smile.amazon.com/Realistic-Optimist-List-Calendar-2019/dp/1726842738


Designed for a need in his own life,
The Realistic Optimist TO DO List & Calendar 2019, is the latest release from author Ray Keating. 

 

Get organized; make things happen; and get inspired throughout the year with "The Realistic Optimist TO DO List & Calendar 2019." It's a tool that makes sense for career, business, education, family, fun and pretty much everything else in life. 

  

"The Realistic Optimist TO DO List & Calendar 2019" offers a simple, systematic combination of long run, weekly and daily TO DO lists that make a real difference in getting things done. For good measure, each page includes a quote from a leader or thinker that in some way reflects being a realistic optimist - providing inspiration, giving pause to think, helping you move ahead, generating a laugh, or eliciting agreement or a roll of the eyes. 

 

Ray Keating, who is an author, economist, columnist, website publisher/editor, podcaster, marketer and more, refers to himself as a "realistic optimist." What is that all about? Keating sums it up: "The realistic optimist basically learns from life's ups and downs, while maintaining a hope and confidence in successfully setting out and achieving goals." 

 

The use of "to do" lists have made a big difference in helping to organize all aspects of Keating's life - as is the case with countless others. He notes, "I've become far better organized - though far from perfect - with the 'to do' list becoming my main planning, organizing and execution tool. The act of putting together the 'to do' list requires reflection on goals; forces prioritization; allows for being more realistic about time management; and generates serious thought on how to best get things done." But using the "to do" list led him to think about a more effective "to do" list. Keating declares, "My creating 'The Realistic Optimist TO DO List & Calendar' was driven by meeting a need in my own life, and it followed with the realization that if I benefit from this, others might as well. I hope this becomes a handy tool in your efforts to set and achieve all sorts of goals." 

 

Keating concludes, "The fact that you set goals, think about how to achieve those goals, and choose to seek out and use tools like The Realistic Optimist TO DO List & Calendar mean that you are a realistic optimist. Forge ahead!"


This is a desk reference and encourager. Mine is the thickness of the LCMS Annual phonebook and directory with pages in Letter size. 

Each page has a 2019 date, a quote, and spaces for your daily TO DO list.

After the author's introduction of encouragement, there is an Annual TO DO Goal page. Special monthly pages help you keep on task toward your goals. 


Special weekly pages help you keep track of priorities for each week.

I, too, am a realistic optimist. Want encouragement to keep on task in 2019? Get organized and make things happen with Ray Keating's The Realistic Optimist TO DO List and Calendar.


Rev. Paul J Cain is Senior Pastor of Immanuel, Sheridan, Wyoming, Headmaster of Martin Luther Grammar School and Immanuel Academy, a member of the Board of Directors of the Consortium for Classical Lutheran Education, Secretary of the Wyoming District of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and a member of its Board of Directors, Wyoming District Education Chairman/NLSA Commissioner, and Editor of Lutheran Book Review. He has served as an LCMS Circuit Visitor, District Worship Chairman and District Evangelism Chairman. A graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Rev. Cain is a contributor to Lutheran Service Book, Lutheranism 101, the forthcoming LSB Hymnal Companion volumes, and is the author of 5 Things You Can Do to Make Our Congregation a Caring Church. He is an occasional guest on KFUO radio. He has previously served Emmanuel, Green River, WY and Trinity, Morrill, NE. Rev. Cain is married to Ann and loves reading and listening to, composing, and making music. 


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