It’s hard, emotional and down right difficult, picking the one when you like and want both of them, or selecting the business priority, when they both seem so important. They all have benefits and potential rewards, YIKES what does one do?
I’ve been struggling with this for a few months. With 10-14 hours in a day, seven days in a week and only so many productive brain cells to dedicate to a project, I often feel torn, stretched and pulled at all ends.
My consulting practice business has had a huge consulting project this year that required full time and solid mental focus. When I took on the assignment I made a commitment to give 300% to achieve the program goals. My speaking obligations have also been active too and there is more pull and stress there, and then there is my unfinished challenge of turning around a start up that had bumpy beginnings, Oddpodz.
Do you try to do it all? Some a little half-ass? Do you self-inflict extreme stress and pressure, by trying to be superwomen or man and work 20 hours a day and address all of it?
NO!!! You’ll burn out.
It won’t work. You must pick priorities and focus. Finish your business that you have committed to and then shift gears to handle your other priorities with the same full commitment. Especially if one priority means cash flow that will allow you to take on the next priority soon there after.
YES, push yourself a bit, but don’t get crazy with unrealistic goals with two many projects or something will suffer.
Beyond my primary duties that I was committed to , I carved out about 15-20 hours a week to my secondary project, Oddpodz. I dedicated to writing my blog, doing some marketing and most of all learning new things that could help Oddpodz and my consulting clients. It became a win, win instead of a overwhelming spin out feeling.
Still stuck on how to decide what is your real priority and what gets kicked under the bus?
I’ve mentioned in the past, I’ve been working with one of Tony Robin’s coaches. Her name is Jayne Jewel and I love working with her. She’s just the right amount of tough love and a real-friend likable buddy, that you don’t want to disappoint.
Last month this struggle of priorities was on the agenda. Jayne helped me with some great decision making tools. She pointed out that when you make decisions you must look at your:
- Desired outcomes
- Your options
- What the consequences can be
- Then evaluate
- Then mitigate
- and resolve
As I processed through this list, it became much clearer on what was my #1 priority. The good news on my Oddpodz turnaround is there is no hard pressure deadline, other than what I impose on myself. The company is growing, we’ve made solid progress, some sales and I have a plan that will take us to the next level.
Accepting what is, being at peace with your doable goals and your time frame is a much better place to be than operating in a complete stress zone and feeling “how can I get to all this at once”.
Decisiveness will set you free to focus and then achieve priority milestones, then empower you to take on the next one and do it right with 300% of you.
Stay tuned. . . January will be a new beginning.
Also, check out: How Facebook saved Buddy’s life.