A Lesson Learned
Prioritize one, and more will follow.
At times we are presented with tons of great opportunities, all at once. If we already have our plate full with things we are passionate about it might be easy to pass them up, or pick and choose. But when we’ve suffered a lack of good opportunities for some time we may be tempted to take them all on, worried that we might not get this chance again.
If we take them all on, we risk everything. Taking on too much will strain and overwhelm us, our work will suffer, our health will suffer. We can’t do it all, we must choose if we want to take full advantage of any opportunity.
The good news is, when we take full advantage of one opportunity, that opportunity will open new doors for us. And when we choose one of those doors over the others, that will lead to new opportunities as well. If we prioritize one, more will follow.
Some Actionable Advice
To make those choices easier, it’s important to take stock of our lives regularly. That way, we can keep our priorities on the surface where we can see and interact with them.
Every month or so, take inventory of the major areas of your life and ongoing projects. Make your priorities explicit. Try making a list and keeping it somewhere you can see it everyday.
An Open Question
This may come as a surprise to you (I’m being sarcastic), but I’m a problem solver at heart. Unfortunately, this means my listening skills need some work. Going into problem solving “mode” isn’t always what people need, and I want to be better at supporting the people in my life, including my clients.
So if you have a moment, do me a favor.
Think about the times in your life when you have felt truly heard, when you’ve felt fully satisfied after a conversation with someone.
Now answer this: What makes a good listener?
Share your answer with me by emailing me at hello@expandyu.com or sending me a tweet @Expand_Yu!