From the course: The Power of Lists to Get Stuff Done

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What is the difference between a to-do list and a checklist?

What is the difference between a to-do list and a checklist?

From the course: The Power of Lists to Get Stuff Done

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What is the difference between a to-do list and a checklist?

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- The terms list and checklist are often used interchangeably, but they're not actually the same thing. A list can be a to do list or a pro and con list, or even a list of things that you love about your job, but a checklist is a different animal. A checklist is a formula for getting something accomplished. It's a log of actions that need to happen to accomplish a goal. All sorts of mistakes can be avoided with a simple checklist. In fact, pilots and surgeons swear by them. And the people who do those jobs are highly skilled, I assure you, but sometimes the simple stuff can get overlooked. I interviewed Pilot Patrick Smith for my book, "Listful Thinking", he told me that checklists will vary from airline to airline, but for the most part 13 is the magic number, that's right. That's roughly how many checklists pilots go through from the time they step into the cockpit until the time they reach their destination. Dr…

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