Quote of the Day

more Quotes

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

No Speeding Required, Just Consistency

I am hard on myself.  I am a perfectionist.  I have multiple To Do lists that I want to check off each item as completed.

My life is already full of deadlines.  Some set by me.  Goal-oriented deadlines.  Self-determined publication deadlines for my (near) future indie-publishing novels.  Some set by others.  Deadlines related to my freelance copyediting job.  Deadlines surrounding my day job.  Today I found myself dictating a clothes washing mandate.  Setting the timer for thirty minutes.  Which is no big deal.  Not really.  But I had all day.  Why was I pushing myself?  Why was I interrupting my train of thought (whether reading or writing) with a harsh, monotonous, irritating tone every half hour?

Granted, self-direction and self-motivation are great tools for an entrepreneur or author to have.  Just not too much of it.

I am also blessed with determination, consistency, stick-to-itiveness (yes, that is the way Webster’s spells it—I am a freelance copy editor and, by habit, check these things).  Some call me stubborn for embodying such tenacity of spirit.  If “stubborn” is what gets me to beloved bestselling author status, much less any of my other goals, so be it!

So, for today, each time you set a time limit on yourself, ask:  Is this really necessary?  At all?  Or at that interval?  Is it making my day easier or harder?  Is it getting me closer to my dream goal or just weighing me down?  Because it may not be a task that you need to accomplish.  Not today or any day.  Your time could be wiser spent doing other things.  And enjoying it more. 

One more thing.  We all run at different speeds.  My speed is not yours and vice versa.  Be happy with your own speed.    

Sometimes it doesn't feel like we are much in charge of our lives.  However, the decisions are truly ours.

So, decide.  It is your life after all.

No comments:

Post a Comment