An indicator of productivity that isn’t discussed enough: happiness.
Did the day make you happy? Then it was productive—regardless of how few “productive tasks” you finished.
Did the day make you miserable? Then it wasn’t productive—regardless of how many “productive tasks” you finished.
P.s. I also published 9 Timeless Lessons from Tuesdays With Morrie.
Dear busy person,
You won’t get this day back again. Ever. How you choose to busily spend your time today will be forever stamped inside the legacy of your life. No refunds; no exchanges; no do-overs. That said, did any hesitations come up? Second thoughts? Did any of the tasks you’ve devoted precious time to in the day ahead come into question? Give yourself some space and time to notice—really notice. Because those who do—and make the proper adjustments along the way—get more out of life. This one and only life we each have to live. Days spent with no regrets are what lead to a life spent with no regrets—my hope is that you start taking it to heart, today.
Sincerely,
Your inner work person
One of the downfalls of digital: it’s easy to hide and ignore…
Those habit tracker apps? Can easily get lost in the million other notifications coming at you from your phone.
And the same is true for whatever else you might be trying to productively get done via screen.
A physical calendar on your fridge that has BIG “X’s” on it for days you successfully completed your task?
…Is much harder to ignore, swipe-hide, or pretend not to see.
Digital is great. But, sometimes, analog is better. Worth considering.
P.s. Something like this. With big “X’s” on it for every day you complete the task. Placed strategically where the task is supposed to happen each day. For me? By my bed. So that every day I get out of bed before a certain time, I can “X” that puppy and get a streak going.
…Aren’t character traits you can give yourself.
They can only ever be gifted to you by others—regardless of how much you believe it, say it, or fight for it (them).
Some things can only ever be proven through action.
Side note: there is an argument to be made for the situation when you’re surrounded by people who simply don’t give gifts of any kind. People who are so consumed in their own worlds that they don’t have the capacity or capability to gift these rare character titles to others. And if that’s the case, remember, getting the rare character titles gifted to you isn’t the point. The point is to embody the rare character traits because of the innate goodness that doing so provides in value for you and your life. Getting the title should never be the expectation; only the rare, unexpected (and greatly appreciated) gift.
…If you want to get the rare character title of appreciative, that is.
P.s. January 26th was the anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s tragic death. I wrote a piece honoring his legacy here.
You become what you study; study what you want to become.
You become who you speak with; speak with who you want to become.
You become what you think carefully about; think carefully about what (and who) you want to become.*
*Thinking carefully implies deliberate conscious effort, not what happens unconsciously throughout the day. We’re talking about the kind of thinking that happens when you ask and mentally sweat over tough questions. Questions that challenge your limiting beliefs, comfort zones, life path, ingrained habits, close relationships, identity, vision, beliefs, and so on. Yes, this is the kind of thinking that shapes who you will ultimately become.
P.s. In case you missed it, you can read the best of what I posted to MoveMe Quotes last week, here.
If you lack confidence, it’s not something you can just pull from thin air or positive thinking.
Confidence is something that is built tangibly—in reality.
It’s something that requires a stacking of little successes that slowly… slowly… build a track record we can start to believe in.
If we have never done a thing successfully—ever—even in a small way, of course we’ll have a crippling lack of confidence.
Confidence comes when we get out of our head and get focused on doing more in the world—one small, aligned success at a time.
P.s. I asked: What gets you to do the thing you know you need to do when you REALLY DON’T want to do it? I hope the replies help. :)
You will never be able to give others enough of your time/energy/attention—they’ll always gladly demand and accept more.
This is where prioritizing others over yourself crashes and burns.
There will never be “left over” time/energy/attention. “Extra” is an illusion. The demands of others is a bottomless pit.
Pay yourself in time/energy/attention FIRST. Then, when full, give extra or what you have left over to others.
P.s. In case you missed it, you can read the best of what I posted to MoveMe Quotes last week, here.