Do you ever feel overwhelmed? Your to-do list keeps growing. You never have enough hours in a day. You’re so busy going after the next thing that you never appreciate what you’ve done. Your progress doesn’t feel fulfilling.
The secret to overcoming overwhelm and bringing joy back to the pursuit of your goals is to FOCUS.
Use this framework to ask yourself a focusing question
If you (action) only one thing (time frame) and you’d (desired outcome), what would that be?
Some examples:
If you did only one thing in the next hour and you’d feel accomplished, what would that be?
- Break things down and get it done. Then celebrate your small wins!
If you accomplished only one thing today and you’d go to bed with a smile, what would that be?
- Think about the inner state you want to achieve. How you get there might surprise you. More often than not for me, doing laundry is the most unglamorous thing that puts the biggest smile on my face.
If you let go of only one thing this week and you’d free up energy for the task at hand, what would that be?
- Sometimes it’s about NOT doing something. And if this is a hard one for you, remember that no means not right now. You can still return to it next week or the week after. So say no guilt free!
Notice that “you” is emphasized in each question. That’s because it always comes down to your choice. You have to choose to follow through. The questions create focus. Then you create results.
Now try creating 3 other focusing questions relevant to your life right now. The more you practice, the more you’ll incorporate this framework into your life and reap the benefits. Go for it!
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