02/09/2017
// HOW TO STAY FOCUS WITH YOUR WORK AND SAY NO TO SHINY OBJECTS //
You are working on new business or project, you focus for 2 weeks and then... shiny objects appear everywhere!
We call them "new opportunities", "great ideas", "I-couldn't-say-no offers", or "favor to a friend who needs help with X".
Everybody is seduced by shiny objects that can take you out of your way. People who achieve their goals are those who are consistent day after day, month after month. Who never give up.
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I've identified 2 TYPES OF PEOPLE who react differently to shiny objects, and I confess I'm still working day after day to not become those people.
1) PEOPLE WHO NEVER FINISH ANYTHING --> Those people are the ones who buy a book, and half way through the book they start another one. Say a book, a business, a job or a romance.
>> They get bored not because the project they're doing is actually boring but because they've got used to it. They need the rush of a new thing to function.
>> Being a non-finisher is dangerous because if you don't get to the end of something, you will never surrender yourself to the process and grow with it. If the end goal is what you desire but you give up when things get tough, you won't get there.
>> Learning to fall in love with the process is the best quality you can have. You can make turns to get to your end goal and your gut will tell you when enough is enough. Listen to your gut, not to your laziness, nor to your impatience ''
[Focus on something - be consistent - finish it - move on]
2) PEOPLE WHO GET BUSY. TOO BUSY--> They start a project or job and suddenly they're offered a new job and they take it as well. And then a friend needs to outsource X, and they take it as well. And then a co-worker has too much work, and they do it as well.
>> So they end up doing a million things which are what they call ''great opportunities'' but they don't realize those "opportunities" are going against them.
>> If you don't focus on mastering one thing at a time you won't perform at your best in any activity you're doing.
>> Plus, you will be stressed out and you won't invest your time correctly. You'll put aside family time, friend time, exercise time... and guess what? that affects your health and your work performance as well.
>> It's like an overdose, and as any overdose, it can kill you.
[Focus on something - master it - move on]
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So HOW TO DEAL WITH SHINNY OBJECTS when we encounter one?
If you're a ''non-finisher''...
1) Consistency--> Be consistent with your work. Trust the process and don't overthink it too much. Just do it and get to the end.
2) Mindset --> take the time to prepare yourself to follow the process. Remind yourself every day why you're doing it and what's the result you want to achieve. Meditate can help you enjoy the present moment so you can enjoy the process and reduce anxiety.
If you're a ''I-can-do-it-all"...
1) Save your ideas/opportunities--> you have a great idea? nice, save it. Write it down and save it for another time. If it's a job, just realize that there are opportunities everywhere, if you're good at what you do, you will have more opportunities in the future. Keep cultivating your network and mastering your skills.
2) Mindset --> remember we are in this world to live! Work is a part of human's journey but also having a coffee with a friend, exercising, and having dinner with your parents. Those moments are what count at the end. Doing all these extra work means you don't value your time, which means you don't value yourself and the people who want to spend time with you.
2) Outsource --> If you have a great idea for your business but don't have the time or knowledge to make it happen, ask someone else to do it for you. You're gonna have to pay but you'll save time, health, and personal relationships. Plus, you will see if your idea is truly worth investing for if an expert can do it for you with 100% focus and know-how.
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If you've made it until the end of this post, thanks.
I'm curious to know what you think and your experience with shiny objects so drop a comment below to share it!
[irene.]