Busy or Productive?

We live in a time filled with distractions vying for our attention. Some of these distractions relieve monotonous, mundane activities that require energy.

Others come from people-pleasing, saying yes when what we mean is no, and worrying about what people think about us. Maybe it is from insecurity and wanting to be liked or respected. Some may stem from a fear of rejection or abandonment. It can even be due to a lack of clarity.

What do you want? What matters most to you? What does a life well-lived look like?

Sometimes people remain busy because they don’t trust others. They think that if you want something done right, they have to do it themselves. Others are too cheap and don’t value their time. They save money at the expense of time, energy, and enjoyment.

Far too many gurus will tell you wealth is a game of discipline, starting early, saving more, and being patient. This can be at odds with real wealth creation and wealthy living.

When our budget competes with our development, when pinching pennies comes at the cost of investing in ourselves, or our team, or buying back our time, we suffer.

Force or Flow?

What do you procrastinate? And why?

Is it because you want it done but don’t want to do it? Is it because it drains your energy, and therefore, you find other distractions or things to do instead?

When we do things solely to save money, we spend time, consume energy, and feel powerless and exhausted.

Force robs us of energy. It impacts our health. Could it be that our vision doesn’t inspire us, or that we lack vision? Maybe it is survival. Trapped in a cycle of problem-solving, cash flow crunches, and uninspired activity.

How did it get this way? Where did you go wrong?

For me, I learned through experience. I built a faulty plan. Thinking wealth was simply a game of more. More real estate, more businesses, more projects, and work. At other times, it was an immaturity and lack of leadership in the name of being a team player. Trying to please everyone to my own detriment.

Yeah, I am a recovering people pleaser. I want everyone to like me. But in the past, those beliefs created conditions where I overextended myself, avoided conflict, and felt stress.

Checking off the list of “have-to” items and watching the “get-to” items slip away. Sacrificing my future, my life, and key moments to appease others.

Force.
Willpower.
The grind.

Heralded all the time. Heard in acceptance speeches and fights with spouses.

Sacrifice.

Is it required for success? Sacrifice is an essential element of force. Working hard. Long hours. Plenty of excuses. It creates a bottleneck, it limits growth. Destroys enjoyment.

It feels arduous.

I’ve gotta do this, be here, finish that.

There is a different option. It requires hard work upfront. The work of creating the vision of your life. The life you love. The life you don’t want to retire from.

Being willing to have difficult conversations, and a willingness to say no, or at least, not now. Knowing who you are, what you want to do, and what you don’t want to do.

To like, even love, yourself enough to honor your commitments to yourself.

Some will call it selfish. Others won’t understand. But doing all you can for everyone but yourself is a losing game.

What if you create a game worth playing? Reserve your time for value worth creating. Designing a life worth living. To be intentional, protecting your energy and enjoying the process along the way.

When you are doing fulfilling work, you find flow. An aligned life. You know your values, live your values, and as a result, you become more valuable. You respect your time and create boundaries.

When I write, I am in flow. When I speak, I am in flow. When I am building quality relationships, I am in flow. When I make commitments without considering my health, my vision, my family, and my leisure, it is work, the wrong work.

Most distractions are disguised as opportunities. Email is an infinite task list of someone else’s agenda. Most people get stuck in force because they hold too tightly to their money, building balance sheets, but ignoring the development of their own skills or growing their team.

Isolation or Collaboration?

When we get stuck in the mindset of working harder to get more, we limit support, we do too much alone, and exhaustion ensues.

Our thoughts can either free us or betray us. Scarcity can cloud our actions and diminish our value. If we are trapped in a loop of negativity or limitation, we lose momentum. These negative thoughts trap us and torture us. Either wanting the past to be different or chasing a predictable, almost certain future of limitation.

It doesn’t have to be this way. We don’t have to go it alone. Isolation is a breeding ground for scarcity. Scarcity is an incubator for insanity.

Who do you know that can support you? Ask you a different question. Unlock your potential, free up your time, and therefore your mind.

Prosperity is not a do-it-yourself game. Grow your skills, invest in yourself, but allow others to support you as well.

If you want to improve, put your money where your mouth is. Hire someone. Accelerate your results, free up your time, and grow your value.

Mentors ask you questions you don’t know how to ask yourself.

Coaches help you with the formulas and frameworks to get where you want to be…once you know where that is, of course.

Systems, tools, and AI can help you create space, find your rhythm, be more efficient, and call forth greatness.

And accountability is the key ingredient.

I pay attention to what I pay for. I carve out time for things that are important. It is intentional.

What works for you? Who works for you?

When you collaborate, you can overcome procrastination. You can tap into the ability of others. You can find the time to do what you do best. Delegate the rest.

It may take time. You might have to find the money and create the cash flow, but this is the key to growth.