The other day I was on the phone with my friend Mary. As I passionately paced around my apartment I urgently described to her a new and, if I may say so myself, brilliant idea I had. In the midst of expounding my creative genius, Mary boldly interrupted me and asked, “Why aren’t you writing this down and making it happen?” To which, without missing a beat, I responded, “Because, Mary, I am very busy walking in circles!”
I thought to myself, how dare she cut off my grandiose and eloquent speech and urge me to take action! I was quite happy and very comfortable walking in circles and talking about my idea rather than actually taking the steps forward to bring it to fruition. But alas, Mary’s question hit a nerve. I knew I had to delve in and get this going. But before I did, I asked myself, “What had I been very busy doing that stopped me from moving ahead?”
The answers went something like this:
• I had been very busy procrastinating.
• I had been very busy avoiding failure and/or success.
• I had been very busy keeping myself in fear.
After looking at this list and noticing how much energy it took to focus on procrastinating, avoiding, and fear, I was exhausted! I decided I wanted and was ready to shift these destructive thoughts and behaviors to productive next steps.
In that moment I got up, walked to my computer, turned the phone off and within two hours I had written down my brilliant, if I may say so myself, idea on paper and sent it to prominent decision-makers who could potentially make this idea a reality. Instead of feeling exhausted, I felt exhilarated!
What are you very busy doing? Is it destructive or productive? Do you feel exhausted or exhilarated?
If you’ve been giving lip service to something you know you’ve been wanting to do, say or even be for a long time, then I am encouraging you to take one, small step forward now. Tell someone to what action you’re committing and by when so you are holding yourself accountable to another person and getting it done. Then take another step.
Before you know it those old, busy, destructive behaviors will have morphed into your brilliant, if I may say so myself, ideas that have come to fruition with ease!
To productivity and beyond!
