Intensity Can't Compete With Clarity
Sometimes I do pushups between items on my to-do list to jack me up so I can get more done.
Or I'll put a piece of chart paper on the wall and scrawl my action items in fat tip black sharpie, blare the same song on repeat, drink too much coffee and crank.
In situations when I feel a lot of pressure, my default setting is to bring more intensity to the challenge.
I do this in my work life - and in my personal life as well.
There are so many personal development books I want to read, so many TED talks open in tabs on my browser I haven't watched yet, and a block of my time on my calendar titled “reflect on my goals” I keep moving because something else conflicts with it.
I think, once I can get to all of those things, then I’ll find the growth I’ve been looking for.
But week after week, more intensity only seems to make me more tense.
It wasn't until I read Figure That Shift Out by Chris McAlister that I realized my problem was not with the tasks on my plate, it was the belief I needed more intensity to fully and effectively participate in my life.
As Chris illustrates in the book, to become who we were meant to be, we don't need more intensity.
We need more clarity.
How many people do you know wake up each morning and, instead of calmly focusing on their priorities, scramble to fight an internal battle against:
A timeline of where they feel like they should be by this point in their lives
The judgements and criticism they believe others are casting on them
Expectations they have of themselves they’ll never be able to meet
Shame and fear they’ll never be enough
Stress and anxiety about relationships
Maybe you wake up and suit up for a similar fight?
It doesn't have to be this way.
We can spend our time, energy and sanity engaging in directionless activity, arbitrary commitments and meaningless distractions - believing they’ll help us feel like we're living our lives correctly...
Or we can stop proving, stop hiding, and realize we already have what it takes to be at peace, have healthy relationships and make a meaningful contribution.
We’ve had what it takes all along.
We just need to shift our perspective and stop looking outside of ourselves for the answers.
We don’t need more intensity to live from a secure identity, we need more clarity.
On Tuesday, February 11th, Chris McAlister and I are hosting SHIFT - a workshop designed to help you get more clarity so you can become who you were meant to be.
Whether you're on top of the world right now, or feel lost and confused, you'll leave SHIFT with tools to help you create more awareness so you can recognize when you're applying intensity to your challenges instead of seeking clarity.
As a member of this blog family, you get 20% off with the code: FRIENDOFREAGAN
Feel free to share your discount code with a friend!
I hope to see you there -
Reagan
P.S. - Two generous families have offered to provide scholarships to anyone who wants to come. If you or someone you know could use help with the cost of a ticket, please let me know!
