You Don’t Have To Be Everything Right Now.
Writer. Entrepreneur. Foodie. Billionaire. Aren’t you exhausted?
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Most of the time I feel like a juggler struggling to get two balls in the air.
I have a professional career, a writing life (hobby doesn’t feel like the right word), a few social media profiles and a set of weights in my basement I like to visit every other day.
But today, after I finished a job application, a writing session and a workout, I had a bit of a realization.
Did I do any of these things well?
When I sat down to reflect on it, I couldn’t say for sure.
Period’s. Period’s everywhere.
I’m not sure when period’s came back with a vengeance, but you’ve probably seen something like this at the top of various Twitter, Instagram, Medium or other social media accounts:
Foodie. Entrepreneur. Actor. Model. Podcaster. Dog Dad.
And don’t get me wrong, I’ve done it too. (Also, really? Dog Dad?)
I’ve been taking more time than usual on Instagram lately, in large part because I like how it visually compliments my writing. Spending more time on Instagram, however, has led me to the bios of some pretty influential people.
You see one thing on a consistent basis.
What don’t people do these days?
We describe ourselves in 1 word. A space. Another word. Rinse and repeat until we have what is (still) a very shallow look at our own lives. But I swear to god I’ve written one of these lists for myself and thought:
Wow. Nailed it.
Did I really, though? Why do these descriptions make us feel whole when, in reality, they’re only a part?
Or a bigger question.
How the h*ll is everyone doing 12 things at a time?
They not only have their own YouTube channels. Oh no no. They have a non-profit, two side businesses, a thriving blog and a great relationship.
Oh, and by the way, they’re a body builder and wrote the #1 book on Travel.
Just re-reading this makes my head spin.
If you’re anything like me, it probably never occurred to you before how many things you’re trying to juggle at once. And although I’m a big fan of having different activities occupy my day, I often wonder if we’re all doing too much.
Take multi-tasking.
Study after study proves multi-taking is a poorly thought-out endeavor. Not only are we never in deep focus, but we tend to not do anything well.
Which is why I sigh a little every time I see “multi-tasking” listed on a job application. Last time I checked, we were all forced to pat our heads and rub our stomach’s when we were younger, right? I thought we all pretty much came to the same conclusion.
We can only do so much.
So how are these people seemingly doing it all and being it all?
They’re not bouncing around so much like the rest of us.
They’re not lifting weights and drinking their protein shakes at the same time (lift safely, bro’s and girls of the world). They’re not writing blog posts while also trying to film their YouTube videos.
And they’re certainly not squatting and tweeting at the same time.
They’ve laid a foundation.
Take Lori Harder. Successful entrepreneur, writer, podcaster and seemingly a thousand other things (again, another list). Harder, like many of us, also went through a period of deep struggle.
She started out small, living at home and doing whatever she could to move out on her own. It took 8+ years to get to the place where she is now. Which reminds me of this important quote:
Once you have mastered time, you will understand how true it is that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year — and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade!
-Tony Robbins
It’s easy to look at people’s profiles and feel like we have to be 5 things right now or we’re behind, but I think it’s actually just the opposite. In order to be glorious at 5 things, we have to become good at one first.
Which, if you’re like me, is a tough pill to swallow.
So I’m starting slow.
Building myself up every day.
Or, at least, it’s what I’m trying to do.
And maybe, just maybe, after showing up for years on end I can list a bunch of impressive things on Instagram (this considering, of course, we still have Instagram and robots haven’t taken over).
For now, though, I just want to do a better squat.
Protein shakes welcome.
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I’m Chris and I like to do and say things that others say they can’t. If you want to start saying I can, get my 7-day, 100% free email course right here.
