Sunday, February 19, 2023
There is a strange, counterintuitive phenomenon called “over-planning.” People ask me frequently how I get so much done, write so much, record, coach globally, and so forth.
Well, there are appointments to coach, to consult, to speak, and so on. But a lot of the rest is a matter of “going with the flow.” If I want to hit the pool on Wednesday afternoon, I have no guilt about it, nor do I feel I’m burdening myself if I write a proposal on a Saturday morning. If I have a good idea, I work on it. If I’m not in a mood to create, I focus on a hobby or read or play with the dogs.
The keys to all of this are:
• No “guilt demon” on my shoulder trying to depress me.
• Comfort with ambiguity.
• A strong sense of self-discipline and responsibility (AKA: I never procrastinate).
• Seeking success not perfection.
If you’re taking a day to write a 500-word article or a week to design a workshop or 20 hours to prepare for an hour speech—there’s something missing for you from my bullet points. “Measure twice and cut once” is just a stupid platitude. Measure correctly the first time.
Alanism: You can always make another dollar but you can’t make another minute.