Tag: Prioritize your Life

One and Done.

“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.”

Alexander Graham Bell

Question: If you could only do one thing next year, what would it be?

Of course, there are hundreds of things we want to do, become and experience, but trying to do it all at once is a surefire way to end up doing nothing.

Focus on one thing first, then start the second if you finish the first.

What’s one thing you want to do that will make your life better than before?

And don’t wait until tomorrow, if you can. Start immediately. Jan. 1st feels like a nice clean slate, but honestly, we can start at any moment. Why not this one?

STAY BOLD, Keep Pursuing,
— Josh Waggoner | Daily Blog #794

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IG: @Renaissance.Life

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Take 5

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”

Oscar Wilde

A new year and a new decade are upon us. It’s easy to go through life without actually pausing and considering what we are doing and why we are doing it. So in between exchanging presents and stuffing our faces with pie and cookies like the Fat Schmidt in us all, take some time to think about your past year and what you want your life to look like. Take a breather. Grab some paper and a pen and sit with yourself:

  • Who do you want to be?
  • Where do you want to give your time?
  • What’s a priority to you?
  • What brings me joy?
  • What do I need to do less of? What do I need to do more of?
  • What do I need to start?

Most of us live our lives like the toss of a paper airplane — we throw and hope the wind takes us where we need it to0. Of course, not everything is in our control. Trying to plan every second of your life will inevitably be messed up by something bigger than yourself. Yet, it’s good to know if you are, at the very least, aiming for the right direction. Nobody wants to reach the end of their life and realize they’ve been facing the wrong direction the entire way. There’s always a chance to turn around, but wouldn’t it be better if we knew sooner rather than later?

That’ why it’s healthy to pause every opportunity you can (make) and think about what you’ve been doing and where it’s leading you.

STAY BOLD, Keep Pursuing,
— Josh Waggoner | Daily Blog #787

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IG: @Renaissance.Life

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Are you taking your dreams seriously?

People treat you the way you treat yourself.

How you think, talk, emote, dress, eat, and act determines how people respond to you.

When you act like a goob, people are going to treat you like a goob. 

What brought this on? 

I’ve been thinking about / wonder whether or not people (especially people I️ know) take me seriously. Take me serious about what I️ know, what I’m doing, and what I️ want to accomplish.

These thoughtful questions lead me to an even harder question to answer:

Am I️ taking myself seriously?
…

Am I️ putting in the belief, time, effort, challenge and blood, sweat, commitment and tears necessary to take my goals seriously?

Am I️ taking this blog seriously? Am I️ taking my writing practice, desire to be a fiction and nonfiction author seriously?

Am I️ taking my songs seriously? Do I️ practice my guitar, vocals, piano and song crafting as seriously as someone who is a professional?

Am I️ taking my business seriously enough? My work, relationships, health (and health problems)?

Am I️ taking my life seriously??! We treat death like a far-off event, but in reality, I­t­ could happen to any of us at any moment. If I️ got hit by a bus today, would I️ feel accomplished and satisfied with the life I️ led?

Maybe its just my tween-age angst talking, but I️ don’t think so. I’ve got a lot I️ dream about, and very little precious time to give to make I­t­ happen.

When I️ say being serious, I’m not talking about being the kind of person were you suck all the fun out of everything and beat your head against a wall until everything is perfect. (Fun-suckers)

I️ mean taking my mission and dreams seriously.

I mean talking, thinking, and squeezing out everything I️ got to make my dreams happen, despite the fears and challenges that life brings.

If you’re like me, then it’s time to put down the cookies and make a change.

Your dreams — be that building interplanetary rocket ships, winning the Nobel laureate, or simply starting a blog — don’t work if you only give half *ssed work. You have to give all of yourself to make them happen. 

Grab a piece of paper and write down a commitment to change. Create a promise to yourself that you will keep pursuing your dreams no matter what. Take what you what most out of this life seriously, and go find a way to make I­t­ reality.

Stay BOLD, Keep Pursuing,
— Josh Waggoner

IG: @Renaissance.Life

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Related Insights

“God will not place a burden on a man’s shoulders knowing that he cannot carry it.” — Muhammad Ali

“Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.” — Tony Robbins

“If your mom asks you to do the dishes, do not pull out your pirate attitude. But if someone tells you you’re not good enough, says your dreams are too lofty, or claims there is no room in showbiz for a dancing violinist – well then, by all means, pull out your eye patch, my friend, and take to the high seas.” — Lindsey Stirling

Live a Little (For Josh’s Sake) — Life Principle #18

Lately, I’ve been bad about being spontaneous. 

I️ think it’s the fact that I’ve been working so much this past year that any time remaining is incredibly precious to me. It’s ironic that I️ had to give up the majority of my time to work, to understand how precious time really is.

When someone asks me if I️ want to go hiking, grab some sushi, or whatever on the spot, I️ stammer and mumble out a no and lame excuse more often than not. It’s not that I️ don’t want to go hiking, it’s just that I️ already have a mental checklist of things I️ want to do (or have to do). My expectations of what I️ could be doing get in the way of what I️ am doing. It’s kind of a lose lose. I️ could get sushi, but I️ would also like to write. Or the other way around! Okay, I’ll say yes to sushi, but then be thinking about all the great writing I️ could be doing!

I️ don’t want to let others define what I️ do with my time. 
…
But I️ also don’t want to be a tightwad.

There’s a fine balance between making time for priorities and actually living a little. 

Which bring me to the next Renaissance Life Principle:

Life Principle #18: Live a Little (For Josh’s Sake)

It’s good to be responsible and intentional about our goals and habits, but don’t let I­t­ sideline you from actually living. Focusing on today is how you make tomorrow brighter, but take yourself too seriously and you’ll create the opposite result.

Being responsible shouldn’t also mean ‘Up your own butt’.

Take your shoes off and stay awhile. Learn to live in the hectic moments, and learn to enjoy the silent moments too.

The key to a meaningful life is not cramming your calendar with so much stuff.
Minimalism can apply to not only things we own but things we do. (This is sometime I️ still need to learn and apply.) Trying to add 48 hours worth of work into 24 hours will leave you exhausted and not very excited about what you’re doing, even I­f it’s enjoyable to you.

The quality of your time means everything, but spend too much time focused on yourself and your own goals and aspirations and you’ll end up doing a lot but not really living. 

How to Live a Little

Create room each day for negative space — time in which you do nothing. No podcasts, no music, just enjoy the silence and reflect on the moment. I­t­ could be 20 minutes, I­t­ could be 1 minute — whatever you have to give.

Practice intentionality. The more intentional we are about how we live, the more we can squeeze out happiness in every moment (even the sucky ones).
Go for a walk weekly or daily, with the mindset of practicing being intentional. From the small blades of grass to the buildings around you — focus on the world around you. Look at the sky, feel the wind, see and smile at the people you come across.

Plan Spontaneity. If you’re sometimes a tightwad (like me), plan to be spontaneous at least once a week. I️ know, planning spontaneity is not very spontaneous… but it’s a step in the right direction. When someone asks if you want to do something, be open to I­t­ if I­t­ sounds enjoyable to you. Get yourself ready for someone to ask you to be spontaneous. Steel yourself up. Make time to live a little.

Prioritize. Ask yourself, “Am I️ trying to fit a week’s worth of work into one day?” If you are, take a step back and reprioritize. We create the life we live with the decisions we make with what we have to go on. Reinvention is just one action away from reality.

Go on that hike, grab that sushi. 
Whatever you need to do, I­t­ can probably wait. But if I­t­ can’t, don’t fret about I­t­. Do what you have to do and grab sushi next time.

Live a little.

Stay BOLD, Keep Pursuing,

— Josh Waggoner

https://forms.convertkit.com/317372?v=6

Related Insights

“Youth is something I never wanna take for granted. I just want to smile and live life.” — Tyler, The Creator

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” — Steve Jobs

“One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.” — Dale Carnegie

Priority of Day

Are you lashing onto what others think is important or are you sticking with your own priorities?

I was having trouble prioritizing what’s most important to me. On paper, everything felt like a priority. I could picture all these future versions of myself, but being so far from those realities what do you prioritize?

Do I choose music or writing? Entrepreneurship or art? Speaking or programming? Is it possible to choose them all?

Here’s the secret:

Priorities are what you spend your daily time on.

So does your daily priorities align with your future self? 

Dreams stay in your head unless you’re working towards them consistently, day in day out.

Visualize where you want to be, then take small moments towards that vision.

If you are already pushing yourself to the limit and have 0 time to spare, then you probably shouldn’t be adding more to your plate. Too much food piled on a plate is eventually going to fall down. Knowing when to say yes, when to say no and when to say not right now is directly related to how much progress you’ll make on your priorities. If you end up having no time to spare yet you’re focusing NO time on your priorities, do what you can to slowly remove todos from your plate.

When the desire doesn’t align with the execution, your priorities are out of alignment.

Desiring to be healthy yet eating unhealthy day after day.

Saying yes to todos instantly without a whim of consideration devalues your time and wipes away your ability to prioritize.

Know your goals and your compatibility. Know who you are and where you want to be. And then compare notes to what you spend your day on.

Study a day in your life and your actions will tell you what’s a priority or not.

StayBOLD, Keep Pursuing,

— Josh Waggoner

Related Insights

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” — Stephen Covey

“Action expresses priorities.” — Mahatma Gandhi

“Our life is the sum total of all the decisions we make every day, and those decisions are determined by our priorities.” —  Myles Munroe

Attention Span of a Dog

Today, while Gabriella and I were recording a podcast, our dog Ren was playing in the kitchen. She had literally all of her toys out. The half-eaten toys were scattered around her like a war-torn battlefield (cotton guts everywhere).

She was having a ball (literally and figuratively … 🌈 dad joke #1 🌈 ) and I couldn’t help but relate to her to my own life. She would jump from one toy to the next, without being able to decide to play with just one. 

“She’s doing what I do with ideas.” 

I have so many things I want to do and accomplish, and so many ideas I want to actualize that I tend to choose too much at once, overwhelm myself and make no progress on anything.

When it comes to working and reaching for goals and building a better life for yourself, it’s easy to never get anything done because you never prioritize what’s important to you. 

You pick up one squeaker toy after another without realizing it nor making in progress on anything.

But to make true progress happen in life, to turn your dream into reality,  you have to learn when to say yes and when to say no.

The greatest figures in our history achieved greatness by focusing on one thing until proficient before moving on to something else.

What gets prioritized gets accomplished.

Stay BOLD, Keep Pursuing,

— Josh Waggoner

https://forms.convertkit.com/273691?v=6

Related Insights

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” — Stephen Covey

Focus In

Focus means giving our attention to something.

Whether that attention is undivided determine how well we’ll do.

We all have many things we must / want to do, but trying to do them all at once doesn’t lead to progress.

We must give our full attention to the task at hand.

Dedicate 100% of your focus to what you’re doing, within the time you have given

— focus in. 

Success is a string of tasks and trials we’ve given our full attention to. We succeed because we focus.

 

By focusing in,

we narrow our perspective

and give time and energy to cultivate each priority.

 

Picture yourself as a master juggler.

You can juggle many things, but each must pass within your hands, one at a time.

People create the illusion of doing many things, but in actuality they’re giving all of their focus on one thing at a time. 

Focus in towards a better you. You’ll find your brilliance.

related

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” — Socrates

#KeepPursuing,
xoxo Josh Waggoner

‘Brevity is the soul of wit.’  Email me your thoughts on this post. Can you reduce the essential idea further?

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Priority

Focus on getting the right stuff done, rather than just getting things done.

Getting things done doesn’t mean we’re making progress on our dreams.

‘Things’ can be anything and everything, and can take us in every direction except the direction we want.

Priority starts with deciding what your right stuff is. It’s a choice you make, and is something you have to put above everything else you do.

 

Brilliance and achievement require priority, and everything we do (and want to do) is not on the same level of importance — it can’t be.

If we want brilliance, we have to prioritize our life towards creating it.

related

“Action expresses priorities” — Gandhi

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller with Jay Papasan

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” — Stephen Covey

#KeepPursuing,
xoxo Josh Waggoner

‘Brevity is the soul of wit.’  Email me your thoughts on this post. Can you reduce the essential idea further?

Donate