3 Things to Rule The Week - November 11, 2021

Each week (mostly, sometimes) I share three things that caught my interest and are moving me to action. Sometimes big, sometimes small things. Not always serious, but always useful. If you find your own things that move you, please share them in the comments! 

This week’s theme is... 3 Things I’ve Learned Writing These.  This week I want to share three things I’ve learned from writing this newsletter/post/article/musing that many of you have been kind enough to read and respond to. My intention when I started this back in February 2021 was to share great resources and thoughts that impacted my thinking and way of work (as well as a funny word). But beyond the end result of each edition, I’ve learned about myself and the process of doing things.

Let’s get after it.

1. Consistency is Harder Than Creativity - creativity is the ‘shiny thing’

As a writer (yeah, I’ll call myself that. Why the hell not?) I've found creativity to be a blessing and a hindrance. Procrastinate for three weeks writing and then sit down with your first cup of coffee and the letters become words that become paragraphs that become a theme and voila!... That’s a pretty interesting piece of writing you have there.

Then the brain has you start to believe “Joe, you can’t rush brilliance. It’ll come when it comes. Stop stressing over it by creating these “made up” deadlines of each week, etc, etc.”

The world and results will wait and reward you for your creativity. Maybe. Not usually.

Related/Not Related Example: My birthday is coming up later this month. I created a health challenge for myself to achieve before the end of that day. 5200 push-ups (I like to create totally trivial, yet challenging experiments). Now, from the day I came up with the idea to the end of my birthday, I need to average 217 push-ups per day to meet that goal. I typically do 20+ push-ups each morning as part of my morning routine. 

I am doing 25 push-ups at a time throughout the day until I equal or exceed my goal of 217 per day. I am tracking when I do a set and the time completed. This will help me look for patterns that are working for me or against me (times of day with no sets completed, having to ‘catch up’ at the end of the day, etc).

Are push-ups glamorous? Not really. Are they easy to do with low to no costs? Yes. Can you mess them up or cheat doing them? Yes. So… low cost and skill entry point and still the need for focus. (Side Lesson: Find something simple in your life and make it really work for you rather than just exist).

As of this writing, I am 11 days into this self-imposed challenge. Here’s what I’ve learned thus far:

• When your goal is consistency (217 push-ups per day), the beginning is hard.
• Creativity will try to creep in to take the stage (“I wonder how many different ways I can do push-ups? What if I do push-ups and burpees during each of these sets?” Just do the task! 20 push-ups at a time. Carry on.
• You will begin to see results: Day 1 = 117; Day 2 = 150; Day 3 = 218 (Yay! Hit goal!); Day 4 = 250 (I’m going to be ripped); Day 5 = 225 (Still hit and over the goal), etc.
• You will find ways to make it happen. 3 minutes before my next call, quickly do a set. About to grab some lunch? The cost of admission is one set of 20 if you please.
• You will get stronger. What at first was “Hurry up and do 20 before my arms give out!” to within a couple of days “Huh, I like how I feel when I complete a set.”

One last observation thus far: When I’ve focused on being consistent, I’ve found more creative thoughts and ideas that fit into the pattern of consistency. Because I am doing more, I am seeing more opportunities. Creativity is finding and bringing to life opportunities. Consistently.

2. ‘Just Right’ is Perfectionism in Disguise - ‘staying in the lines’ is the void 

One of the challenges I experience when writing these 3 Things is the connection between each thing. Is there a theme? An area of focus? Do they flow in a certain way? Does this even make sense? Am I just throwing three things out there just to publish? And on and on…

I hesitate, I wait. I wait for it to be just right.

Questioning with doubt. Looking for stories to support that doubt. Hesitating. Waiting and holding off until… All descriptors of perfectionism. ‘Just right’ is procrastination and perfectionism in a mask. Procrastination and perfectionism are symptoms of fear.

Ever thought about what would happen as a small child if you freely colored outside the lines of your coloring book or page? Would you get in trouble? Would Dad not like it? Would your friend say it is wrong because you went over the lines in a couple of areas?

Did any of those things ever happen? Some, maybe. A friend at school might have said you “did it wrong” because you can’t stay within the lines. “You don’t know how to color.” Fear rises from the wrong kind of ‘what if…’

Have you ever been in a situation where someone else “speaks” for you without your permission? That’s not fair and often is not correct or your position on it. And on top of that, who the hell are you to take my voice in this matter?!

I realized when I hold off, hesitate, and judge that this written piece isn’t ready or doesn’t make sense yet to hit publish, I am speaking for my audience without their permission. I am making their mind and judgment for them (for you!) without the chance to even read what I have to share.

I am creating a void in my universe by not sharing and at the same time, creating a void and a voice that you haven’t asked for or granted permission. Staying in perceived lines creates voids, not beautiful mistakes.

“What stops you is never external.” - Marie Forleo

3. If It is All Important, Then Nothing Is - but I like all the things

Just because it is important doesn’t mean it aligns with your values and life priorities.

You are clear on your values and life priorities, right? Not your “purpose in life” or “calling” (though it could be), but when push comes to shove and you have to say no to something how do you make that decision?

(time out. Need to go do a set of 25 push-ups.)

Is it the fear of outcomes or repercussions for not doing something that makes it a priority? Is something that pops up that looks fun that moves it up your morning’s priority list? Who likes squirrels and shiny things?!?!?!

You should do many a great things and experiences in your life. Don’t hold back. Get out there and get uncomfortable. And, you have a framework to help you answer what is most important to you and a mechanism to keep you honestly accountable to those priorities, you will find yourself doing just a little bit of each hidden in each day and not getting to your desired end result or destination.

Happy to share what has worked for me thus far knowing it is still an experiment. I use a four-quadrant map. Family, Professional, Finances, and Health. These four areas of life, when done well, will give the outcomes and goals for what I define as well-lived life.

Yes, each quadrant topic is broad. That gives me the flexibility to experiment and expand goals and outcomes. But any goals, task, want, or request must fit in one of these four areas. If it doesn’t, it’s a quick and easy “no.” And usually, I’m the one asking myself to add something new, interesting, cool, “would make them happy”, “I should…”, etc.

These quadrants play the filter as I plan each quarter, month, week, and day. It’s my own line of sight. It’s my written collection of patterns. Sometimes the check-marks get heavy in one quadrant. That’s okay for a bit if that were my intention. But if not, course correct and share the love of my time, energy, and focus with the other three quadrants.

Do all the cool things that get your attention during life. That makes life fun and the opportunity to discover. Just make sure YOUR important things get your highest priority and get done.

The world is talking to you. Sometimes you just need to stop and listen.

------

Fun Word of the Week is... Dilly: Not just an ice cream bar or a humorous Bud Light commercial. Nor the act of finding 7 things to do before doing what he/she said they were about to do. Dilly is short for delightful. “Something or someone regarded as remarkable or unusual.”

Go be dilly this weekend!

Joe

www.citizenlearn.com