๐ Unlocking Your Aspirations
Updated: Oct 8, 2021
There are so many things that are floating inside of my head. There are so many ideas that I want to execute. I want to have this person on my podcast, I want to blog about this. Oh, I should get this work thing done first. Maybe I should....and the list goes on and on.
I am sure I am not the only person that is stuck in this sinkhole of ideas and thoughts. ๐ณSometimes all of the ideas and thoughts will actually lead me to paralysis. It will make me stop executing on any and all fronts. Strange right? Like if you have all of these ideas, then start. Yet, I think the overwhelming nature of the ideas and thoughts leaves me wondering which ones to start and which ones have a higher priority. ๐ค
While some of you reading this might just say, "Start!". I hope that this will resonate with others. Moving from paralysis has been something that has proved difficult for me. I have found that as I have started moving then the gears begin moving again.
My wife encouraged me one time to create a "Greater Yes" list. A list of things that are of greater importance to me than other things. This list is sorted by priority and when time is in short supply review the list and make sure I am working the items at the top.
My list looks like this:
A real intentional relationship with God.
Being present and focused on Family
Pursuing Health in my life
Furthering my career
Everyone's list will look different. One thing I did when I wrote this list, was to write the CURRENT list of how I did things. It almost looked like the complete opposite.
The only true way to make sure that you are accomplishing the items on your Greater Yes list is through Boundaries. Yet, how easily are things stretched over this boundary and how often do we compromise. Boundaries are so ambiguous for most of us, I have a hard time recommending them. They work for the first week, and then....๐จ This meme is pretty funny, but I thought it resonated with the truth of our perspective. We think that "Work is {Fill in the Blank}" we come up with a variety of excuses to shift the blame. We need to take control of our actions ๐
I found it helpful to think of time as I think of money. Time is indeed a resource. We only have so much time in a day to spend on all of our goals, aspirations, and desires. Rather than a boundary of, "I don't want to take homework", think of it as, "I just gave work 10 of my hours, and I have 6 left today, do I want to spend my remaining six on work?".
Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes the answer is no. It's your money, spend it on what matters to you, but remember. The time you spend cannot be earned back. It's gone.
Your kids will grow up, your partner will age, your life and your time moves forward. So make sure you identify what your "Greater Yes" is, so that you can spend your time (The most precious resource) on the things that matter to you the most.
I am for sure NOT PERFECT at this, there are many times that I get this priority list wrong. There are many times I give it all away to things that don't matter to me as much as other things.
Give yourself GRACE when you are failing at this. Press the Reset ๐ button and start again. Reduce the cycle that you may find yourself in so that you can unlock time for what matters! For me. This Blog and Podcast were unlocked through those exact same thoughts. It feels good. ๐ because this was in the back of my head for years now. I am sure YOU have ambitions that matter too. Let's unlock them! ๐
Comment your greater yes list!