Stolen To-do Lists

To-do lists of brilliant minds—windows into structured thinking and mastery

  1. Leonardo da Vinci’s To-Do List (1490s) In his late 30s, while working in Milan, da Vinci filled his notebooks with observations, inventions, and questions, constantly pushing the boundaries of art and science.

    • Calculate the measurement of Milan and its suburbs
    • Get the master of arithmetic to show you how to square a triangle
    • Examine the crossbow of Maestro Gianetto
    • Find a book that deals with Milan and its churches
    • Discover the measurement of the sun promised me by Maestro Giovanni Francese
    • Get the master of hydraulics to tell you how to repair a lock, canal, and mill in the Lombard manner
    • Describe the tongue of the woodpecker

  2. Johnny Cash’s To-Do List (c. 1973) In his early 40s, at the peak of his career, Cash jotted down a simple but revealing list of personal priorities.

    • Not smoke
    • Kiss June
    • Not kiss anyone else
    • Cough
    • Eat
    • Not eat too much
    • Worry
    • Go see Momma
    • Practice piano
    • Help someone

  3. Benjamin Franklin’s Daily Routine (c. 1726-1750s) In his 20s and beyond, Franklin structured his life around self-improvement, tracking his adherence to this schedule in a journal.

    • Morning (5-7 AM) – Plan the day, reflect: “What good shall I do today?”
    • Work (8 AM-12 PM) – Focused deep work
    • Lunch (12-1 PM) – Read, reflect, relax
    • Work (2-5 PM) – Continue deep work
    • Evening (6-9 PM) – Reflect: “What good have I done today?”
    • Personal time (10 PM) – Rest and prepare for tomorrow

  4. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Daily Schedule (1940s-1950s) In his 70s, Wright maintained an intense work schedule at Taliesin, balancing architecture, teaching, and writing.

    • Rise at 4:30 AM
    • Tea and meditation until 6 AM
    • Drawing and design work (6-9 AM)
    • Breakfast and correspondence (9-10 AM)
    • Site visits or meetings (10 AM-2 PM)
    • Lunch and rest (2-3 PM)
    • Teaching and mentoring apprentices (3-6 PM)
    • Dinner and socializing (6-8 PM)
    • Reading and planning (8-10 PM)

  5. Richard Feynman’s Life Goals (1960s) The Nobel Prize-winning physicist created this list during his time at Caltech, focusing on curiosity and joy.

    • Play. Do not take myself too seriously
    • Study something because it’s interesting, not because I have to
    • Do not worry about honor, success, or reputation
    • Have fun with physics
    • Teach in ways that inspire curiosity, not just memorization