Don't Do More And Don't Do Less, Here's Why
If you're like me, you probably think a lot about doing more.
How can I increase my output?How can I check off more tasks?How can I reduce friction so I can get more done?
And here's the part where I'm about to start talking about doing less.
Right? This is where I go into a tirade about how we should be focusing on doing fewer things, better.
The truth is, that might be true for some of us.
For others, you might just really love the feeling of checking stuff off your list.And that might change depending on where you are in your career or life.
It might be true for a while and then not true later on.
And vice-versa.The most important thing here is just knowing what makes you happy.If you're like me, feeling like I'm making the world a better place is the feeling of happiness.So it's not really checking off boxes, for me--it's seeing real-world results that I impacted.
2 Minute Action
Write down a list of 5 times you felt most alive.Write down a list of 5 times you felt most dead.Boom.Now you know what kind of experiences to integrate into your life.
My Coworker Said This And It Woke Me Up
All of this “rah-rah, motivation-guy” stuff?You probably don’t need it.
One of my colleagues had to remind me of this, today.
Some people need it.The people who have been stuck on the couch for 6 years need that.But that’s probably not you.
People who have been operating at 100 and want to be operating at 150 usually don’t need that.
The people who wanna be at 150 need something, too, but it’s not the “get off your ass and do something” mentality.Usually is mentorship, guidance, reinforcement, support, resources, or something related.It could even be some R & R.Where are you in your career/journey?It’s up to you to be realistic about your pace and capacity. It’s your responsibility to your mission to build “burn-out prevention” into your work-life.
2 Minute Action
What are the things that re-charge you?What are the things that make you feel alive?What are the things that make you feel proud or accomplished?Answer one of these questions and pick a day in the next 4 weeks to make sure that it happens.Call in a friend or accountabilibuddy if you need to.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Finally: The Source of Motivation Explained
It's like a shower.It's like brushing your teeth.It's like your morning coffee.
You've gotta do it every day for it to work.
If you wait for motivation to strike, you're going to be out of luck for a long time.The real-world lesson here is that it's up to you to understand what motivates and activates you.
My motivation comes from 3 main sources:
- An incredible sense of urgency to act now.
- Daily reminders like posters, automatic iOS reminders, and emails to keep the shortness of my life front of mind.
- An incredible sense of care for this planet and all the people on it.
Sure, we can talk about the personal differences that make my list different from yours, but that's not the point.The point is to take ownership of you motivation."I'm just not motivated" is an excuse that is totally within your control.
2 Minute Action
Maybe you already know what motivates or sustains you.If you don't, think of the last time you felt alive. What were you doing?When was the last time you felt the most dead inside?What's something that has bothered you about the world since you were a kid?Let's take these questions and turn them into action, today.You have more control than you think.You've got everything you need at your fingertips.