How do you do it?
How do you do it?
I’m often asked this question. Friends, colleagues and family members ask me point blank ‘’How Do You Do It?’’
From my perspective the question seems odd at times. What am I doing? When this happens, I start to reflect on the reasons someone would ask this. What are their motives? What are they looking for?
Yes, my life viewed from the outside may seem overwhelming to some. Or that I’m being stretched and pulled from every side. Do I have some special trick that helps me accomplish so many things in a day? What makes me tick?
The easy answer: I don’t understand your question. Then they get into details;
– You have so much energy
– You’re always happy
– You smile all the time
– Problems don’t stick to you
– Nothing stops you
– What you start you finish
The list goes on and on. Let me stop here and mention something before I continue. I don’t have any magic secrets, ultimate end all playbook. I am an ordinary guy that goes through life trying not to get noticed too much. I’m not better than anyone and I know many people that are much grater than I. I live my life in a way that doesn’t disturb anyone.
1- Plan and Stay Focused
I am able to do it because I stay focused on the goals I set for myself every day, week, month and year. I do everything in my power not to get distracted by what is not moving the needle towards accomplishing my personal and professional life goals. I plan out, before the year starts, all the goals and milestones I want to reach by year’s end. These are all directly related to my life goals.
My daily routine doesn’t get bogged down by unforeseen events. I do get disturbed by unplanned calls, meetings or car troubles. We all have to go through this. That’s what life is. Stuff gets thrown at us and we have to deal with all in that very moment.
This plan becomes my road map to a predefined destination. It’s how I deal with life’s surprises. It helps me make the decisions to stay focus on the road ahead and not get distracted.
It’s Up To You
All of this ties into the second answer I give to the question. Something’s we control and other things we can’t control. The day I started to ‘’really’’ understand this is when everything kicked into high gear. Whatever I am not in control of, I can’t do anything about it. I focus solely on what I control and don’t pay attention to what I can’t. That doesn’t mean I don’t care of what is happening around me or in the world, it means I don’t get bent out of shape about it. Why should I, I can’t control it or do anything about it. It has already happened. What I control is what I do after.
‘’In life our first job is this, to divide and distinguish things into two categories: externals I cannot control, but the choices I make with regards to them I do control. Where will I find good and bad? In me, in my choices.’’
-Epictetus
Let Go of the Past
The word indicates what it is…in the past. Unless you have discovered time travel, these events will remain unchanged and in your past. I let go of all of them. Yesterday is gone, the last hour is gone, and the last minute is gone. I’m living right now where my actions have a direct effect on my future and attitude. I stopped reliving past events.
The weight that suddenly gets lifted off your shoulders when you let go, changes your life. Your daily activities take on a whole new meaning. Clarity and focus on now becomes predominant.
The answers I give to: ‘’how do you do it?’’ is common knowledge. No one is reinventing the wheel here. It takes lots of discipline to put into action these steps. But once in motion daily, you will surprise yourself at all the changes that will happen to you. Free yourself up from the past.
