Digging in the Sand

(1 min read)

Let me know if this sounds familiar:

You have big ideas. You want to find more ways to reach more people, you want to introduce something new that will make things easier, you want to go in a different direction…

But then you have a job to do…

And you see this daily workload as an obstacle in the way of your own self-actualization. Whether you love it or not, it makes you feel like you’re digging in the sand.

I get it. I’m with you. Like you, I have more ideas than I have time for.

But the ‘Diggin in the Sand” metaphor will surely put you in a hole, which is not a good place to be when you need to see the sky.

This is how most of us work:

We promise ourselves to do the growth things after the sustenance things but there just never seems to be enough time (or energy) to get to the growth things after doing all of the sustenance things. And so the days and weeks go by.

We have to flip this thing on its head.

The first thing to do, ALWAYS, is the growth stuff. Only after you’ve hit at least a few minutes of looking forward, should you launch into your “day-to-day.” This way, no matter what happens with your day, you’re covered. You’re growing.

It’s a beautiful cycle: with the growth stuff done, you can be more present for the sustenance stuff, and in turn, get more of that sustenance stuff done, which often leaves you time and energy to accomplish more growth stuff.

So, instead of seeing your days like digging in the sand, start the day with the treasure chest in your lap. And when you’re done polishing your gold coins, try combing the beach instead of digging holes.