So piggy-backing on my last newsletter, about finding the One Thing that will make everything else easier or unnecessary when it comes to moving forward in any area of life, I wanna talk about what can make that difficult…
I just attended a super weekend-long workshop with my business coach. I highly recommend such activities on a regular basis. Because when you are in a room of like-minded people and in front of an expert addressing the core issues pertaining to your group, a timeless space is held for growth, planning, breakthroughs, and reflection that we just don’t have in the isolation of our day-to-day work lives as creative freelancers and entrepreneurs.
Well, yesterday was my first day back in my day-to-day, and I was determined to implement all the learning I gained over the weekend. I have a family, so every moment I have to myself is precious in this way. That’s why I felt shot out of a canon literally powered by an overwhelming feeling almost as soon as my guys were out the door.
After making sure I had everything I needed to be as productive as possible for the few hours I had, I distractedly packed up my tote, jumped on the train and up to the bank… without the checks that I meant to deposit.
I didn’t notice this until I got to the bank of course, effectively “killing” an hour!
Now, after a bit of traditional self-cussing, I always catch myself and turn such moments into learning. Once you begin to do that, it really is true that there is no failure. Any outcome is going be either a success or a learning (or re-learning). And here was mine:
Rushing slows you down!
I’m quite proud of that little platitude. (No I didn’t just come up with it; I’ve been saying it for years. This was a definite moment of re-learning.)
No matter how much there is to do, you can only do one thing at a time, like packing everything you need for the day.
If your mind is racing ahead to everything else, chances are you’ll forget the One Thing that justifies whatever journey you’re about to embark upon, such as remembering to bring the deposit to the bank.
I’m still feeling somewhat frenetic as I write this. What has helped is noticing that frenetic mindset, and then simply bringing myself back to the present by literally calling things as I see them: pretty purple flowers, macabre Halloween decorations. Oh look, they’re filming in my neighborhood! You get the idea. The trick is to catch yourself flying off into the ether, so you can gently bring yourself back to the moment you’re in.
Paradoxically, that is what will move you forward the fastest.
