What if the answer is not always MORE?

What if the answer doesn’t always consist of more…

More productivity.  More stuff.  More money to spend on more stuff.  More commitments.  More things on the calendar.  More emails.  More phone calls.  More zoom meetings.  More distraction.  More screen time.  More toys.  More vehicles.  More storage units for all the more we already have.  More, more, more.

What if the answer is actually a focused less?

An undistracted less.  A less that actually fits with your definition of success in this season of life.  And while we are at it, do you know what success looks like for you in this season of life?  What does it look like personally?  For your family?  For your vocation?  If you don’t know, it won’t happen accidentally.  So maybe do yourself a favor and think on that a little. You might be surprised at what you discover!

Back to our focused less…

When I was in a vicious season of burnout several years ago, I was crazy overcommitted.  Work.  Buying my business.  Building a new building.  Serving on multiple boards. Coaching my kids in sports.  Training for triathlon.  Trying to be a husband and father.  And to be honest… not doing any of it to the best of my abilities.  I knew it, but didn’t know how to stop it.  I just felt like I needed to keep pushing and stretching and getting stuff done and accomplished.  That was the answer, right?

But the truth was…

The answer was not more.  I didn’t need to say yes to more.  I didn’t need to add another race or another board or committee.  I didn’t need to stretch myself to get even more done at work.  I needed to slow down.  I needed to take a 35,000 foot look at my life and see what needed to stay and what needed to go.  I had to realize that I was simply trying to do too much.  And the crazy thing was this- I still didn’t think I was doing enough.

The solution really wasn’t that hard…

I needed to say a few no’s.  I needed to look at myself in the mirror and love myself enough to say that the pushing, achieving, and striving was not making me a better me.  And in turn, it was limiting my impact on the world around me.  We only have so much bandwidth.  And if we use it up, it is gone.

Here’s the good news…

If you are in this kind of season, or have a friend who is (wink, wink), take a look at what is on your plate.  And take a look at what success looks like for you in this season.  And see if there are things that don’t line up.  What if you did yourself a really huge favor this week and said no to something that is draining you and not serving your why or your definition of success?  Maybe it is as easy as asking the question, “why am I picking this up?” when reaching for your digital pacifier that is designed to suck your time.

Maybe it is a commitment that served you in the past but doesn’t anymore.  How else could you use that time to take care of yourself, and, in turn, impact your people and the world?

Do yourself a favor this week…

If you are stretched thin, take a look at some of the reasons why.  It all starts with awareness.

And if you are struggling trying to figure out what success looks like for you in this season, or trying to discern what a focused less might be for you, I would love to schedule a time for us to talk and try to find a way through.

It all starts with self-awareness.  So grab a piece of paper or one of these journals that I love, and get your thoughts out on paper.

And believe… that #gooddaysareahead.  And they might not be as far as you think!  I believe in you.  I hope you do the same!