The skinny: it is easier to keep moving, staying productive, making contacts, and getting things done, than pausing and restarting -- except when you are focusing on impact.
When I look back and reflect over the most rich moments in my creative work life, I see years, months, weeks, and days packed with projects to deliver on, proposals, article deadlines, conversations at events, and across blogs/sites.
Rather than being overwhelming, all the collisions and collaborations fueled my curiosity and supercharged the building of capacity. I traded effort for growth, intense feedback for improvement, and focusing on the work task for confidence.
The product was better ideas, more creative executions, and the blossoming of new abilities and interests.
In the last year, I took time off some of the public busyness, refocusing my participation in social networks, professional associations, my role as mentor, and my activities as student.
Making mental space helped me regain perspective on what matters and to focus on developing big ideas and more meaningful applications. What does this mean and how does it change my approach?
The pause was useful to identify the three conditions under which greater momentum is possible. They are:
- Building autonomy -- Having the ability to collaborate with people and organizations compatible with my value system, which makes it simpler to focus on the work task rather than spinning cycles on managing anxiety
- Engaging in deep work -- Building the capacity to get better at what makes an impact, which has the nice side effect of increasing confidence and connecting with like-mastery pros
- Creating a stronger purpose -- Connecting the first two by convergence of people, ideas, projects, experience, etc., and on purpose
You may note they are the very same points Dan Pink made in his book Drive, and indeed there are no limits for better. Because this is about paying attention and care now, with a long term view.
The present moment is rich with opportunities to make an impact. Experiences are filled with emotional data, specific details and situations that inform human nature, culture, and relationships.
[image Wikimedia commons]
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Valeria is an experienced listener. She designs service and product experiences to help businesses rediscover the value of promises and its effect on relationships and culture. She is also frequent speaker at conferences and companies on a variety of topics. Book her to speak here.