Think Before You Say “Yes.”
As we make decisions how about to commit our time and resources, we often focus on what we have to lose if we say “no” or don’t capitalize on a new opportunity. The more successful we become, the more opportunities we create. And, with those potential new pathways, we can get caught up in a quest for more that surprisingly leads to less.
A clear sign that we are trying to do too much is that more ends up feeling like less. Less joy, less satisfaction and less result.
While it can seem counterintuitive, we often have to take a couple of steps back, actually do less, in order to achieve more that matters. Yes, sometimes we need to go slow before we can go faster or be better.
Springtime is the perfect season to slow down a bit. To take advantage of this time, spend a work week calibrating your focus and working to let go, or finish off, old roles, tasks, projects or responsibilities that are preventing you from excelling at what matters most.
Allow these questions to guide your efforts to understand what is the highest, and best, use of your time and talent:
- What are the highest priority goals you’d like to accomplish between now and the end of the year?
- What do you need to stop doing to have the time and energy to make sure those goals are achieved?
- What needs to be started now to ensure progress on unmet goals?
- What have you been saying “yes” to lately that sounds good in theory, but in reality is just adding stress and little value?
- What do you need to complete well in order to finish the year strong?
Focus is critical. It’s easy to mistake busyness for progress. By understanding the risk of saying “yes” to initiatives that offer some value, we are better positioned to identify and capitalize on the opportunities that will lead to maximum value.
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