I sent out a newsletter last week that has been especially resonant for some people. I thought I’d share it here in case it’s something you need to read, too. (If you’d like to join the newsletter, you can do so by signing up by using the form at the top of the sidebar.)
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When things get a bit overwhelming, busy, or a hair too crazy, it’s easy to spend a lot of time, energy, and attention worrying about the situation rather then doing something about it. What inevitably happens, though, is that as soon as we get around to addressing the situation, we either fix the problem, it fixes itself, or we recognize that it was never really a problem in the first place.
And here’s the irony: we often spend more time, energy, and attention on worrying about the situation than we do on addressing the situation because we don’t recognize that actively avoiding it is still actively working on it.
What I’d like you to do is to take one thing you’ve been worrying or thinking about and see what you need to work through it.
Is it that you need…
- clarity around what to do?
- to connect with the reason why it’s important?
- more specific bits of information to make a decision about it?
- some focused time to work through it?
- the permission to let it go?
Rather than running around the ship worrying about what will happen, grab the helm and get it through the storm.
p.s. It’s okay to run around the ship for a bit, just as it’s okay to let it coast. The point is to know what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.
Photo credit: MackieKLew
Charlie,
Excellent post!
Action Is the New Competence!
Looking at Philippians 4:8-9, people stop with v.8: thinking about the good things. Fine – a must do, but v.9 is the requirement: Do these things!
I work in quite a few different environments ranging from the “we can put it off indefinitely” to the live production environment. The most dangerous attitude, especially in the live production environment, is the attitude of worry. We lose precious moments thinking about a problem when action is imperative to get over the hump of the and through the show.
Sometimes worry is fatal to a project, so I’ll echo what you said – Get over it and take action!
Terrific title and excellent point. I have a tendency to avoid action in certain areas or be hesitant to make decisions. This is precisely the encouragement I need.
I find when I just do it instead of wallowing in hesitation or indecision, all becomes so much easier.
I do think it’s healthy to let yourself spazz out a bit when needed. Sometimes we just need to just to get it out of our system.
Give yourself 30 minutes or so (a little longer if needed), recognize you’ve been in control the whole time, and keep plowing ahead.
Sometimes easier said than done, I know, but no one said this was easy. No one smart anyway 🙂
Thanks Charlie! This post reminded me I don’t get the newsletter since my old site went awol with its email address.
I’m in a quandary: I’m doing really well with everything. The only thing I’m fretting about is a message from someone who wants to reconnect.
Now, this person is from a time I’d rather forget, and I’m also thinking (perhaps unfairly) that they’ll be needy since a relationship broke up.
I guess you might think I’m uncaring. And to some extent I am: it’s not an excuse but I struggle with chronic pain daily and have to plan what I do carefully. I don’t always have the wherewithal to support someone else.
That email has been accusing me all day and I still don’t know what to do with it. And I’m whinging, so I’ll shut up now!