Choosing to pass on that to focus on this is the essence of work and life. It’s what gives substance to everything we do. It’s what allows business to thrive and our relationships to grow deeper. It’s the difference between a meaningful life and one where we simply go through the motions, with little focus or sense of autonomy.
Living in a world where we get to make trade offs isn’t a bug, it’s a feature. Missing out or letting go of opportunities is not something we should grief. It’s something we should celebrate.
When we say no to something, when we purposely deny alternate trajectories of a project, career, or relationship, we’re actually learning to embrace and dance with uncertainty.
And it’s in this seemingly giant leap into uncertainty that we end up finding ourselves again. It’s in this space that we learn to embrace the tension of letting go of trivial matters to focus on things that actually deserve our attention.
It’s in this space that we find the needed sense of urgency to do our best work and finish our days knowing we’ve put our heart, body, and mind where it belongs.
Ponder this:
What actually matters in this moment?
How are my actions helping me get closer to what I want to achieve?
What is all this busyness and distraction for? What am I avoiding?
What deserves my attention right now?