Currently my greatest challenge with ResultsManager is using it to gather all those little tasks that don’t belong to any real dedicated or complex project. These include things like iron pants in morning, run after work, buy dinner for Tuesday night. Normally these items would go on a general next actions list or map right on my central desktop. It was essentially a very basic To-Do List where I really didn’t have to organize, sort, or categorize it. It was usually something that would remain there for a few days and then I would be done with it and never have to look at it again so I would just delete it and make room for something else. What I feel ResultsManager wants me to do is turn these simple tasks into projects or next actions. Spending extra time thinking about these tasks, placing them in separate maps or categorizing them by filling in extra details seems like a waste of my time. However if I don’t add them as tasks they won’t end up in any of my dashboards and if I truly want to take advantage of ResultsManager, I must be positive that my system will collect every task I need to complete that day, even if it’s as simple as charging the cell phone in the morning.

My last difficulty is with appointments and meetings. It’s actually not entirely ResultsManager ‘s fault as I was often having similar difficulties using MindManager in similar scenarios. My ideal situation would have a program tell me everything that is on my plate for any particular day. To perform this magical move would require it to looks through all my maps for tasks and my calendar for appointments. MindManager and ResultsManager do a pretty good job of this, and I am sure this will improve as I gain more experience, but what they fail to track are my scheduled appointments and calendar items. I would love to run a daily ResultsManager dashboard and have it search through all my maps, my Outlook calendar for appointments and organize them into a weekly or daily map. MindManager does a very poor job of trying to manage scheduled tasks and because of this I must rely on programs like Outlook much more than I prefer. I understand why this is not an important issue for MindJet, as I really am stretching the program’s abilities sometimes, but if MindManager could somehow keep track of appointments, classes and inform me when these activities are taking place by creating the appropriate topic in a pre-assigned spot (for example a topic that has a particular date or time attached to it) it would really help me get all my tasks and activities into one spot instead of sea-sawing back and forth constantly throughout the day.

It’s really only been two days with ResultsManager and am really making an effort to incorporate into my routine. However, I still ask myself if this extra effort is really worth it? It’s a question I asked when I first started playing with ResultsManager a few months back and until I can answer with a definite YES I will continue to ponder its abilities and worth.

As a student we must weigh the pros and cons of any situation. For most students I feel the price tag, initial time investment, and required devotion to the themes ResultsManager promotes does not produce results worthy of such time and money. This of course does not apply to every student, as there are always exceptions, but from what I’ve seen and experienced, I can’t see too many of them being successful with it. The situation does transpose if they are willing to severely change the way they do things; and this includes not only the way they handle school related matters but all events and tasks encountered on a daily basis. Unfortunately this transformation takes a lot of work, and although great results can be achieved, the initial investment may not be a realistic expectation for your average student.

With that said I will soon embark on a journey with ResultsManager. I must be going crazy right? I just said I wouldn’t recommend the add-in to most students. Well I won’t disagree on the crazy aspect but my situation is a bit different than the average student, thus I can venture off into those uncharted waters with ResultsManager without fear of drowning.

The first thing I must illustrate is that I don’t think or act like most ordinary students. This has always been my nature and it’s something I am actually quite proud of. I don’t like to conform to the norm (although I do when it is required) as I feel approaching obstacles from a creative approach allows you to learn and discover many more things along the entire journey. This is one of the reasons I always try to be on the cutting edge and am so passionate about the use of technology to solve so many of my everyday challenges. For this reason I don’t get frustrated when new things don’t work out as expected or when I realize a great deal of effort is required to see greater results later on. ResultsManager fits into this category as I feel it’s not the easiest program to pick up. In addition, MindManager is still very new for many students and I feel this adds another level of complexity to an already unfamiliar situation. You don’t have to be a MindManager guru, but having a good handle on it helps tremendously when you’re starting out. As gifted and devoted as students are I feel many would not be able to overcome this first step.

My current situation is also not like most students but a few will sympathize with my position. Approaching my final year of college I find myself in this transition state, entrenched between a college student and business professional entering the world of pharmaceutical/medical sales. I have learned a lot throughout the years but I think one of the most important skills acquired is the establishment of a core set of methods that assist in the classroom and my studies. One could argue that ResultsManager could offer a new way and possible solution to those still seeking these skills but I feel there exists methods that are better suited for school. I feel MindManager alone can be one of these solutions. My current position allows me to explore new tools for the future yet rely on current methods if things don’t work out.

ResultsManager shines when you start to have 30 or more project maps going on at any one time. Although almost anyone has the potential to collect such a large number, many including students, won’t use MindManager is this fashion. This severely stunts ResultsManager’s powers and no longer makes the required investment worthwhile.

I think I may be an exception to this as I use MindManager to organize so many different aspects of my life. I also predict more “project maps” in the future as I start to reach the end of one journey and make my way onto a new path. I have also explored many tools of the trade and am ready to investigate new techniques that may be more valuable in my future. I feel there is not better time than now to test out some of these new techniques and tools since if they do end up blowing up in my face I can revert back to the old methods that I know work so well. However, if I can successfully apply ResultsManager to my current situation then I will no doubt find success and be able to reap its total value later on.

I also have changed the way I approach tasks and activities that must be completement with the implementation of David Allen’s GTD methods. Reflecting back, I now realize that not reading David Allen’s book before working with ResultsManager was probably my biggest mistake. After reading the book (at least two times now) and incorporating many of the themes laid out in the book, I feel there is a much greater opportunity for success this time around. Having deployed these core GTD concepts or at least reading the book once, is crucial to one’s success with ResultsManager. I highly recommend you read Getting Things Done, by David Allen, if you have any intention of trying ResultsManager.

The last thing I have going for me is that I really have nothing to lose in terms of my financial situation. Recently winning the Note Talkers Contest I will soon be receiving my key for ResultsManager. My initial feelings were that if I did find a friend within ResultsManager I would have to surrender my wallet to Gyronix or be forced to lose out on all the benefits ResultsManager offers. I knew I didn’t have the money to throw at a potential new tool and thus was always reluctant to ever allow myself to become attached. I also feel that the time required to fully utilize the add-in extends beyond the allotted trial period. I always worried whether it would continue to deliver if I did eventually give in. If I later found a better tool in 3 months my $285 investment would have gone the drain and that was be incredibly upsetting. I just didn’t have the capital to take this kind of risk. Winning the contest now allows me to play and experiment with the program and dive deep into it without fear of having to invest a large sum of money. It also avoids the feeling of disappointment and regret if after investing the money it later lets me down.

I think we all know ResultsManager works great as a tool for project management but can your everyday college student or young business professional benefit as well? This is what I hope to reveal as take a closer look at ResultsManager. I plan to share as much as my experience with all of you as I can but I get busy like everyone else and can’t make any promises. I hope to make at least one Dorko Demo of ResultsManager as I had a request for such a demo quite some time ago but failed to deliver.

I should also note that Eric Mack is starting his own summer project with ResultsManager. Taking it one step further and going beyond the self discovering of ResultsManager, he is actually being coached by Nick Duffill, of Gyronix. He too plans to share his experience with ResultsManager and even has a podcast from his first lesson. I am anxious to hear about his adventures and compare them to my own.

Between the two of us I am sure there will be a plethora of information that should help anyone with questions regarding ResultsManager. Gyronix has a terrific website with lots of information but hearing actual results from real people means a lot more to me than what comes directly from the company itself. I am sure most of you can concur with this.

I can’t wait to start using ResultsManager with fresh eyes and hope to shine new light on this add-in that seems to work wonders for so many. If you have questions or a particular aspects you would like me to investigate please let me know and I’ll make sure to pay extra attention to those details.

Wish me luck!