Think less, do more: 5 days to a focused you
Feeling stuck, mis-directed or confused about your future but desperate to do something, Mr I-don’t-know-what-to-do-with-my-life? Miss I-used-to-have-dreams? And, you, Mr I-don’t-know-where-to-start?
Well, it’s time to act. This week. Today. Now.
Because I have news for you: it won’t get any easier tomorrow.
What I’m asking for is:
1. 30 minutes today, then
2. 5 hours to do 5 things in the next 5 days
In return, I offer you:
1. A template to get you thinking: My Me Map (explained below)
2. A community to support you
3. Personal jolting and suggestions
Whatchu talkin’ about Willis?
Let’s face it, you need to stop lie-ing to yourself, and sometimes it takes an aggressive person you may or may not know to set you straight – call it an interwebvention – and luckily for you, I’m that person.
In his brilliant TED presentation, Schools Kill Creativity, Ken Robinson contends that society teaches kids to unlearn creative thinking. Now, I know people who try to listen for silence, and others who surround themselves with distractions and noise. But, I believe that we’re all complicit in creating and sustaining a society that doesn’t want us to listen to ourselves. Our true selves.
Yes, we live in structures and systems but if you can’t be honest to yourself about what you stand for and find a way to be that and do that within the structure then you’re just a pawn. And, we all know what happens to pawns in chess: they get eaten by the other pieces. Any 3rd-grader could tell you that!
It’s time to park the victim mentality.
Step 1: Acknowledge your ability and desire to listen to yourself
In an act of synchronicity, Gavin Heaton recently posted an article that I’m re-titling: 42 power moves to think differently. Read it, then come back.
Are you capable of doing just one of the 42 power moves? What about five of them?
What about all of them? Of course, you are.
So, knowing you can start re-framing how you think, I need you to commit to giving me 5 hours this week and to give yourself permission to listen to both your heart and your head.
You can doooo eeet!
Step 2: Reflect, map and commit (in 30 minutes)
Next time you move away from your computer, think about the key points you take out of this article and how you feel about them. Let them mull around in your head for a bit.
Then, have a look at this My Me Map I’ve put together for you.
Download the My Me Map Word document.
It has four sections:
i. Passion:
Start here. You’ll be able to commit willfully to something you’re passionate about. Look for the bigger themes. For example, you may like writing and music so there may be a bigger theme to you around communication, creativity or performance.
ii. Knowledge
I’ve broken this up into 2 things:
a. ‘What I think I know a lot about’ – this represents your past experiences, and is very likely the culmination of your earlier passions.
b. ‘What I’m hungry to learn’ – this represents where you are now, what you could possibly commit yourself to for a few years. It may be the same as a. – but if not, that’s ok. You’re just creating more clues for yourself.
iii. Purpose
I want you to state your purpose using this format: “I help people by…”. Your stimulus for this will be what you enter in Passions and Knowledge. It’s in this format because often we feel more fulfilled when our energy is being put into other people. Try it and see how it feels.
iv. Action
Write the next 5 steps you will take to bring your purpose to life. Make them simple, do-able this week. If the 5 steps take less than an hour each then surely you can make them happen?
How to approach this exercise
Think about the answers today but think about it away from the computer – while you’re walking, on the bus, at the gym. Then either tonight or first thing tomorrow (make a date with yourself, 8am, turn your phone off, no distractions), fill it in.
But, give yourself no more than 30 minutes to do this. Force it. What if you had a gun to your head? I bet you could do it. What if you were on your deathbed? I bet you could do it. Sorry for death metaphors – but you get my point. Interwebventions need extreme thinking to work.
Step 3: Do it
Seriously, stop talking to yourself, roll your sleeves up and do something. Set simple, achievable goals to keep yourself honest. I’m aiming for 7-10 blog posts per week. And I’m just going to keep my head down and do it for the next 2 months and only after I’ve blinkered myself into action for this time will I pull my head up, look around and reflect. Too much reflection after you’ve committed will dilute you.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be conscious about everything you do but don’t let your consciousness mute you. Momentum is critical in the first phase of your activity. The more you do in the initial phases (like when you take up a hobby), the faster you will learn what you like and don’t like. And then you’ll be able to reflect more constructively. Mistakes are good.
Summary
1. Download the My Me Map template and fill it in within 30 minutes
2. Report back with your Purpose (telling people will reinforce your ideas)
3. If you need advice about your next 5 steps, post your Purpose and ask
4. Get on with it!
Photo courtesy of striatic.
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