To keep the momentum going I am going to just jump straight in. How is that for momentum!!
Momentum Tip 1: Don’t make it about yourself
This is first and I think most important. It is what got me moving to write this newsletter when the other option was to kick back and read a book on this wet Bali morning (which for the record was VERY appealing). When I stop thinking about myself and start thinking about how I can help others, or serve others, or support others, it makes me dip into a source of creative energy much bigger than me. Quite often we will do more because of another person or for another person than we will do for ourselves. So focus on how you can help others. When you focus on serving others, you are also likely to be liberating some healthy brain chemicals to turn up your emotional energy.
Momentum Tip 2: Connect to the bigger picture
This is for two reasons really:
1. When you put things into perspective and given you are going to live for about another 50 years or so, is the two weeks where you worked at 40% productivity instead of 80% really going to matter? As much as I would like to think I make that much difference, the reality is my 2 weeks at half pace will mean nothing to me in 6-months time. So stop beating yourself up and just consider how you can change things from today forward. Which takes me to the next point.
2. When you connect to the bigger picture, you get better perspective on why you are doing what you are doing. For me I ask myself ‘why am I planning twice as many courses and retreats this year?’ and I remind myself that they tick all of my boxes – they make a difference for other people; I love to teach; I love to share; I love to talk (I am told I can talk the barn off a barn door); I love to connect; I love to plan stuff; I like to hang out with cool people; etc. When I am reminded of all of these, I get a bit of fire happening in my belly. My emotions get stimulated and I get excited about doing what I have to do, to get to where I want to get. So ask yourself, ‘What is the bigger picture?’ and then connect to the bigger why.
Side note: If the bigger reason sucks or feels like a sea cucumber then maybe it is time to find a new thing to fire you up. It may be hard, but not impossible.
Momentum Tip 3: Getting started
Once you have a bit of those emotions juices flowing, then it is time to direct that energy. I find that the first and most important thing for me to get started and be as effective as possible is to actually take the time to get clear about what needs to be done. This is classic productivity stuff. Take 5-10 mins to get crystal clear about what needs to get done (I also do this after my energization exercises). And I HIGHLY recommend doing this BEFORE you open your emails. You want to write down the most important stuff before other people start barking in your ear (via email or SMS or MMS or old-fashioned vocal chords).
Then focus on doing THE MOST IMPORTANT task first. Not the easiest. If you are going to be 40% productive, you want it on the most important stuff. One step at a time, down the list of priorities is the way to go.
The only exception I will allow you at this stage is if you really really really can’t get started on that task you know is most important, you may do ONE task which will take less than 5 mins to break your inertia. Once you get rolling, then straight back to the main show.
Momentum Tip 4: How serious are you?
This sort of ties in with seeing the bigger picture, but it is more. It is about taking life a whole lot less serious than we have made it. This is a big reminder for me too. Chillax dude. Is it really the end of the world? Is the President / Prime Minister / Queen reading my Newsletter, and if I don’t get it out by 2pm in the afternoon, will I have started WWIII? Possibly not. Also can I bring some fun into what I have to get done? For instance, I am having a lot of fun writing this newsletter and goofing off a bit. I think I am still sharing some very useful insights (wishful thinking), but I am also having a laugh too. I think we all need to lighten up a bit, a bit more of the time. When things are fun, we tend to want to do them more. So find a fun way to do what needs to be done.
Momentum Tip 5: Are you on your pat malone?
A bit of cockney rhyming slang there. Pat malone = alone. Are you isolated? Have you isolated yourself? Do you have a team for support? Do you have a friend, mentor or coach you can call on to give you a gentle or whopping big shove? I had a call with a coach of mine based in Majorca yesterday. She said she was a bit slow out of the starting blocks since Xmas. When I said ‘Yeah, me too’ she told me it made her feel a whole lot better. Not because I was floundering too and she likes seeing me suffer, but because she was not alone and there was not something ‘wrong’ with her. Too often we think we are flawed in some way and that is why we are unproductive now. When the truth is that no-one is perfect. Brene Brown, author and shame researcher says the greatest antidote to shame, is when someone with empathy says, ‘me too’. They are very powerful words for helping others.
So now the wrap-up- ski
Starting a new year (or anything for that matter) can be pretty exciting and scary at the same time; so take the time to get clear about the bigger picture and why you want to achieve what you want to achieve. The more emotionally engaged you are, the more energy you will create to break the inertia (or peel your butt off the seat) and get moving. Don’t beat yourself up. Just accept what happened in the past (i.e. anything before this moment) is not permanent, is not you, and happened for whatever reason. For you (and me) now it is about how we move forward from this moment and from this day. Are you focused on what is MOST IMPORTANT, in the bigger picture? Are we having fun, or do we need to lighten up a bit? And finally, find someone to lean on, or hang onto, to help you build up speed.
Sounds good to me!!
Cheers,
Carl Massy
Do you have other Tips for getting the show on the road or getting your mojo happening in 2014? Please do us all a favour and share them on Carl Massy’s Facebook Page.