*******Disclaimer....THIS IS NOT a political thread - please do not post personal political opinions here.*******************

Okay, that being said...the one thing that struck me over and over and over again in reference to the victory of our current President-Elect was that his campaign was the most ORGANIZED in the history of presidential politics. They left nothing to chance and always knew what to expect in any given situation. Every single article I read, every news report used the word repeatedly. ORGANIZED. They had a plan, a clear cut goal and followed through.

Just to look at their website was astonishing. I work with websites for a living and that site was incredible. I don't mean eye-catching or flashy, I mean well-conceived and executed. And above all ORGANIZED.

It is an extreme example but it goes to show how important being organized can be.

Chef - I thought pretty much the same even before you wrote it. In addition to being organized I admire how your future President dealt with the opportunities that presented themselves. I am sure he did not decide he wanted to be president when he was still a little boy. He didn't seem to plan huge steps at all, but plainly as far as he could see.

I figure that reduces the amount of frustration enormously without limiting the goals you set for yourself. I work without a master list for this reason. If I wrote down everything I wanted to do to get my home organized. I would eventually look at the list, cry and pull a blanket over my face, so I can't see the mess anymore. But if I tackle one small thing at a time, without worrying about when and how to do the rest, I see results.

Looks like a lot can be accomplished that way.

The importance of organization, especially in service-type jobs (including politics) can not be overemphasized.

I teach at the college level, and organization is top on students' list of what makes a good instructor. For example, we recently had to let a part-time instructor go. Almost every student would tell you she was a good TEACHer. However, she was so disorganized that it overshadowed any of the positive aspects of her instruction. I read her student evaluations, and they never said, "Can't explain the topic well." They said, "Highly disorganized," "Late to class," "Absent-minded," and a plethora of other comments along those lines. Enrollments in her classes were dropping and complaints were frequent, so we had to make the decision to not hire her again. All based on the organizational aspects of the job, which were affecting the quality of her overall instruction and hindering students' ability to learn from her.

My goodness, if being organized can get one elected President, there's hope for me yet. My aspirations aren't nearly that high.

Seriously, one of the best things about being organized is being able to handle the unexpected. I'm sure both candidates encountered many curve balls on the campaign trail & being able to handle things without batting an eye speaks very highly of them.

Whether it's an IRS audit, a battle with the insurance company or just a mini crisis at home, being organized can make all the difference in the world.

I heard the same thing about a previous president (assume by now it's OK to say it was Carter). One of the things his campaign staff did was to set up a notebook of "promises" he made or "statements" (I think about policy) so that he not only wouldn't contradict himself, he would be able later to implement things, including perhaps measures he decided upon based on talks with voters - something to that effect.

I had the same feeling with a more recent president, who, with his running mate, wrote a book about what they hoped to accomplish. Of course, no president can do it all, for a host of reasons, but at least they had a PLAN.

Hi ChefSam and all,
i will try and find his web site, to look over,

i had heard say, that he is always willing to learn, and willing to learn from the best and brightest, so that says something for a person, when they don't think they know everything, when they are willing to learn more information and knowledge,

so thank-you ChefSam for bringing this topic up,

I am always striving to be more organized, and i can find some things very fast, because of being organized, then others i just note down on my notepad, areas or topics that i would like to be more organized in.

i heard he ran a excellent campaign and web site, so i will check out his web site, ( and of the wonderful and knowledged staff that he had also had/has helping him during his campaign, and the one he is putting together now, as he is about to enter the White House. )

In college I had a professor of marketing/direct selling who stated he kept a promise pad. This allowed him to write down every promise he made to his clients, including dates and times if they were given, so that he could keeep his word. Alot of these promises were litle things but helped him keep his word to his clients and made a lasting impression.

I like the idea of a "promise pad!" Would work just as well for promises we make to family and friends. Neat idea, Jenn, and welcome!

Welcome Jenn,
That is a wonderful idea Jenn!
i always enjoy making notes, about almost everything, helps keep me organized.

Pearls, how does the note thing work for you. I never get the time to go through them.