Last week I talked about consistency and what things we might need to do more of to reach our goals. Anytime we have a goal, part of the action process is to ask ourselves, “What do I need to do more of?” This is an important question. Also, the opposite question is important as well, “What do I need to do less of or eliminate?”
Eliminating things from my calendar means I’m directly saying “no” to someone or something. I don’t like to disappoint people, yet I cognitively know that every time I say “yes” to an activity or volunteer project that isn’t in alignment with my goals for the year, I am saying “no” to those goals and telling myself that they aren’t important or significant.
Part of my journey with consistency so far in 2021 is learning what my priorities actually are. What does my calendar say are my priorities? How am I using my time? To what do I need to say “no” that I’m doing out of obligation or people-pleasing or making myself look successful?
As we gain more leadership responsibilities and develop a positive business reputation, more people will want our time. More people will theoretically need our help. And yet this is when we need to fiercely guard our calendars. We can’t be all things to all people. We can’t repeatedly extend ourselves to the point of burnout and think that it’s okay.
I made the commitment this year to not take on or develop any more projects than what I had committed to before 2021 began. Business wise I’m focusing on developing workshops and show/podcast content so that I do them to the best of my ability, engage the part of me that loves teaching and training, and provide meaningful and enriching content. This means I’m going to be saying no to a lot of people, including myself!
Just a week or two ago I was given the opportunity to say “no” to participating on a committee through my church. It’s not interesting to me, and more importantly it isn’t in alignment with any of my goals, whether professional, personal, or spiritual. It felt slightly uncomfortable at first, but then there was this tangible sense of freedom that affirmed I made the correct decision.
Questions to ponder: What do you need to do less of or eliminate so that you can achieve your 2021 goals? To make it actionable…how will I do less ______________ so that I can stay focused and achieve my 2021 goals?
Stay curious friends!