Kick That Strength to the Curb

I got an email from Todoist today.

Kellie’s Task(s): 6 due, 18 overdue.

The teaser says, “Start the day feeling calm and in control.”

Ha!

Every day they send an email with this same mantra. My count could be 473 due, 2,457 overdue, and it would still say the same thing.

First, Todoist, why put parentheses around the “s” on Kellie’s Task(s)? Are there people using this app out there that have one task, ever? I think not. It’s antithetical and somewhat mean to add the ( ). I will never see a day where I have only one task.

Well, maybe when I retire.

But then, I will have a task for Play Tennis, one for Read Book, Do Yoga, and definitely for Pinot Grigio on the Patio.

Do I need to be reminded now that I have 6 new and 18 overdue tasks on a Saturday?

The stats are concerning: We all are probably three-quarters of the way through COVID and I’m three-quarters of the way through life, and yet I’m 0 for 24 on my to dos for the day.

Such lopsided equations are troubling to a box-checker like me. I love to-do lists. Achiever is one of my top five strengths in Strengthfinder and I thrive on that feeling of crossing things off the list.

Just for kicks, I looked up what Achiever actually means according to Gallup. They say, “Achiever describes a constant need for attainment. You feel as if each day starts at zero. By the day's end you must achieve something tangible to feel good about yourself. And by "every day" you mean every single day—workdays, weekends, and vacations.”

That explains it. That explains me.

It must be an Achiever who writes the emails at Todoist. They probably only hire Achievers. Who else would want to work there? Not people with strengths like Woo and Harmony.

You can earn Karma points in Todoist by checking things off your list. Who else would come up with a system like that but an Achiever? And, by the way, I am a Grand Master of Todoist. I know this because they told me in an email. And I only need 21,180 more points to get to Enlightened.

Ever want to kick one of your own strengths to the curb?

On the other hand, it’s often easier to embrace that which one is well-wired to do. I came in cable-ready in this department. I was a box-checker even in first grade.

Colleagues tease me for the way I draw small boxes in my notebook in meetings. I tell them, “I draw boxes so I know that item is a to-do. Otherwise, it’s just notes.”

And they shake their heads and go back to their worry-free, box-free lives.

Let's be real: I could see myself working at Todoist.

Right now, they are only looking for a freelance English to Japanese translator. But once something opens up— especially in their email crafting department—I’m there.