(published Brainz Magazine, November 10th 2022)

If you’ve ever had so many things you want to achieve that you don’t know how to fit it into your day, you’re not alone.  For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a sense of urgency.  Like I had to do, experience, achieve, learn so much in a small amount of time.   

For a while I wondered if I knew on a soul level that my earthside time was limited and I needed to get this expansive list done before I left.  Now I understand why I felt this way.  For many, many years I held myself back.  Kept in the shadows, not wanting to be noticed and trying to fit in.  Once I started to shed that old version of myself, the entire world started to open up for me.   Things that I’d never allowed myself to dream of were suddenly presenting themselves and it was so exciting.

It’s strange to think that the version of myself I was clinging to was in fact holding me back.  By protecting ourselves and not stepping through the fear (of being seen, heard, failure….whatever that looks like for you) we really limit our human experience.

Once we shift perception, allow ourselves to really become authentic, our existence changes.  There is no turning back.  For many of us that have experienced this change, there really is a sense of urgency.  We’ve wasted so much valuable time holding ourselves back and not doing the work we were here to do.  So it’s almost like a catch up is starting to happen.

One issue that I encountered was saying yes to too much.   Where I had said no for a couple of decades, it did take some time to discern what was the right fit for me.  Also there is the issue of being human and only having so much time in your day, week, life.

For the first few years I took on way too much.  That led to stress, overwhelm and to be honest a bit of burnout.  I was so busy being busy, taking on amazing opportunities that I really wasn’t able to connect with self and truly experience things.   

There is also an issue of taking on so much that nothing gets the attention it deserves.  A little like the myth of multitasking where you are doing so many things at once that nothing is done well.  That’s the realm that I was existing in and it really did feel horrible.   I’d fought for all of those years to really love, accept and appreciate myself just to throw myself in a situation that was not nurturing to myself.  Um, hello that was not my goal.

There are so many things on my ‘to achieve’ list.  And although we only get one life, there is in fact plenty of time.  Which means it’s ok to take your foot off the accelerator and slow down.  It’s like the myth that we can have or do everything.  You can attempt to do it all but at what cost?  The reality is that nothing gets done well, there is a massive guilt issue and we forget about the most important thing – ourselves and our self care.

The key to success is to have a goal and focus your attention on it.  One goal.   Yes you can have a few other little things simmering in the background, but if you want to achieve true success in an area you absolutely must have laser focus on that goal.

True to nature, my list is long, varied and very optimistic.  I have no doubt at all that I will achieve every single thing on that list.   However it wasn’t until I re-evaluated things that I was able to make big strides in areas of importance.

As an example, one of my goals is to reach a certain financial level in my health and longevity business.  Once I focussed on that specific area, growth was really quick.   Instead of working towards a dozen big goals, by focusing entirely on one goal things really started to happen.

“Where focus goes, energy flows” – Tony Robbins

It’s almost having to slow down to speed up.  That sounds so bizarre but in fact, it’s so accurate.  

I slowed my brain down.  Removed everything from my whiteboard except for this one main goal.  My daily actions are now focused on one end result.  My thoughts, effort and manifesting is not clouded and muddled.  There is now one goal.  One focus.  One thing on my ‘to do’ list.  

Yes, I understand that sense of urgency.  And particularly with those of us working on a side hustle that will take us from our existing career, it can be chaotic or even frantic.  The struggle is real and I want you to know that I understand.  

Here is what happened to me once I slowed down and dropped my massive ‘to achieve’ list.

• My message became clear.   
• I adjusted my self image to be the Leader that I aspired to be
• I was showing up perfectly and walking my talk
• My team began to really grow – now in 5 countries
• I can see the result of my laser focus paying off
• Every day I am closer to what I want to achieve
• Consistency is key – working on the same goal each day is really making a difference

Best of all?  I’m happy!   My life is much simpler, the overwhelm is gone and I really feel a deep sense of achievement.

What I thought was my superpower – being a multitasker – was in fact my downfall.   Now I know that my strength is to focus on one thing at a time and then move on to the next.  

It’s time to work out one ultimate end goal you’d like to achieve.  You cannot have everything at once, so what will you choose to conquer first?

photo credit:  silvan arnet on Unsplash