No goals?
Over the past few weeks, I have become overwhelmed!
I am sure many of you can relate. At some point in our lives we are subjected to having just too much to do or accomplish.
One of the questions I started asking myself as I try and get through tasks, whether personal or professional, is “what would be the worst thing?” with respect to the outcome going the way I expect or want. What I like about this question is it brings to surface a hidden assumption that I was acting as if everything is critical.
I also realized that it is time for a mindset shift!
Here are some things I have started to do when I have overcommitted myself:
· Take a few deep breaths
· Look at my calendar and move deadlines or cancel meetings etc
· Rethink/eliminating goals
Rethinking goals is a true mindset shift.
As an example, one of my previous goals was to address and tackle all emails immediately even if there is no urgency or stated deadline.
On the personal side, I have fitness goals and even vacation goals!
It seems we live in age where we equate pushing ourselves to the edge with self worth.
Even if we do not suffer from burnout there is a cost to quantifying all gains (both personal and professional). The human body is not meant to sustain ongoing and consistent stress. You certainly get stuff done but now we are realizing stress promotes dense arteries and cell inflammation. Stress has a long-term unseen effect on our physical health. In essence, it causes premature aging!
In this blog, I have often written about the need and value of goals.
I now believe that some pursuits should have no goals. I am applying the “no goal” philosophy to all things that address daily recovery.
Having a goal for how many minutes I meditate each day is officially over! I’ll be taking walks without a goal of reaching a certain amount of steps and instead focus on being present and enjoying the natural world. I am even going to allow some non urgent email to stay in my inbox!
Doing nothing and wandering (both mentally and physically) seem to have an important role to play in our health!
What goals could can you eliminate from your life? What leisure pursuits can you undertake for the sake of leisure itself?
Have a great weekend, Karl
When we allow ourselves to wander a bit, we become better at aligning our everyday actions with who we are and who we want to be, and we boost our cellular health at the same time. Rob Kent de Grey
Fatigue is inevitable. Burnout is not. Nicole Davis (2x Olympic Silver Medalist