I thought you all might enjoy both considering this question (and how it does or doesn’t show up in your life) and then answer it for yourself. If your answer differs from mine at all, I’d love to hear it!
Dear Sam,
Hey the topic I wanted to visit at the end of the last session was on creating urgency in my works and life passions. I prefer to be pulled to my works and called to my passions. Inspiration rather than motivation is what I seek. I have many fun projects both short and long term as well as key life goals such as co-creating my soulmate in my life. The closer I seem to get the more resistance shows up in the form of artificially slowing down my actions.
How I can create pull and inspiration on a consistent, eyes on the prize, moment to moment basis is what I believe I am looking for now. I can be fired up for a day or two and then…
I appreciate your input oh wise goddess of GID.
Smiles,
Jim
Author of the upcoming book: Abu-Dance: Dancing with Abundance
Dear Jim –
Great question.
By definition, inspiration is a drawing in of a divine influence – esp. through the breath. So it might help to think of your daily actions as 15 minutes worth of deliberate “breathing” and then all-day worth of noticing your “breathing” whenever it comes up. In other words, maybe you spend 15 minutes on “attracting a soulmate” activities and then spend all day noticing how you are being/becoming the perfect soulmate for the world.
A few more tips:
1) Get a bigger carrot. Tie each action to a truly delightful prize. Acknowledge each tiny victory in some significant way. Reward your inner nine-year old in a very tangible way each day.
2) Get a shorter stick. Create barely-realistic deadlines and then beat them. Maybe think in 4-day increments. What would you love to have completed by this Monday?
3) Get a friend. Partnering with someone else (in the Get It Done group or not) who is also working on goals and agreeing to check in every day can be a terrific way to stay on track.
4) Cultivate your intuition. Allowing your “belly wisdom” to determine your next inspired right action might fight off the paralyzing slow-down.
Does this help?
Wear something different today.
Have something unusual for lunch.
Drive a different route home.
Listen to a different radio station.
Change your catch-phrase.
Learn a new computer skill.
Shop in a different grocery store.
Try a new beverage.
Shake up your workout routine.
Varying your routine – even in the smallest and most incremental way – can shake loose a whole bunch of delightful new thoughts.
You get to choose at least some of the elements of your life, so enjoy exercising that privilege, OK?
You are no longer a child. You are not trying to get out of math quiz. You don’t fake it. If your body is telling you that you are tired, listen.
And even if you have the impulse that you MIGHT be faking it – that’s important information, too.
About once a month I teach a 4-day intensive at Sam Christensen Studios (www.SamChristensen.com) and I finally had to make it a policy that I keep the day after we end free of appointments and obligations. While it panics me slightly to do so (how can I take a day off! I’ve been in a workshop for four days! I’m so far behind in my work! Eeeep!) I have learned that if I do NOT take the day off, I will pay for it all week.
In other words: one day of rest equals a whole week of productivity. And “pushing through” leads to several days of exhaustion and poor quality of life.
Where can you rest? What deadlines could you move? What projects could you set aside for now?
Want to get truly radical? Rest BEFORE you get tired.
Also known as: fill up the gas tank before it hits “E.”
Now excuse me, please – I’m going to go take a nap.
Applause isn’t about you.
Applause is something the audience needs to express to in order complete their experience.
Applause is created by them (notice that you can’t really make them do it) and it is created for them. They may think they are applauding you, but really they are applauding to punctuate their own experience – which is great!
Sort of like when you take a bite of a cookie and say, “Yum.”
The “yum” is not for the cookie. The cookie doesn’t care.
The cookie has already done its job of being a fabulous cookie.
The “yum” is for you. The “yum” sets apart this bite from all other bites. It underlines your experience and helps you to understand this particular moment of your life.
So don’t feel shy about graciously accepting praise or applause – you’re doing your audience a favor by welcoming their engagement.
(And the really important part for you is not whether or not people liked or didn’t like what you did, it’s what they liked or didn’t like about it that is significant. The approval means very little. The specific feedback means everything.)
So go ahead and take your bow, because like I said…it’s not really about you.
Loneliness is a very serious illness that often goes unrecognized and undiagnosed. The consequences of a lonely heart include chronic sorrow, creative stultification and a lot of internal yelling at yourself.
Sometimes we feel lonely even though we’re in a group.
Sometimes we feel lonely right in the middle of feeling very happy.
Sometimes we get so used to feeling lonely that we wear it all the time like a heavy, dark cloak.
If your heart needs a friend, it’s time to do things differently.
Try these strategies – maybe even try one per day?
(Don’t roll your eyes – this is a serious situation and it’s time to try even the dumb things, OK?)
- Go to a local coffee shop and give someone there an honest compliment
- Take a class in something you know nothing about
- Call up an old pal (even if it’s been years and years) and find out how they are
- Practice seeing the eternal, undimmed beauty that abides in each and every person
- Make sure you get touched every single day, even if that means daily self-massage
- Go hang out in the dog park (whether you have a dog or not)
- Break your habits: take a different route to work, eat a different lunch, create a new outfit
What have you tried? What’s worked for you when you’ve been lonely?
P.S. If you’re a single woman seeking a true and loving partner, check out “Calling In The One” – this is a free teleclass with Katherine Woodward Thomas and Claire Zammit – register and you’ll get the recording for free, too: http://bit.ly/clTnGH (yes, I’m a Big Fan and an affiliate for them, but honestly, I’d recommend them even if I weren’t, because I have several friends for whom the Calling In The One process has really WORKED!) – SSB.
Here’s Reason #7 in the “Why Procrastination Is Genius In Disguise” series:
First: The Get It Done Teleclass Workshop Starts TODAY And It Is NOT TOO LATE to sign up! Click here to order: http://www.GetItDoneTeleclass.com/fall (and if you sign up and then don’t care for it, just let me know and I’ll refund your money right away, no questions asked.)
Also – if money is the only reason you’re not doing this, then call me right now at 818-468-0540 and we’ll work something out, OK? Good.
So far we’ve covered:
1) Procrastination is Genius because underneath the pain of it (the hunger pain), it reminds you of your true desire.
2) The nonstop nagging isn’t working (never does).
3) You haven’t moved forward yet because – for whatever reason – it just hasn’t been the right time. And maybe you’ve been a bit scared, which is OK, but we’re not going to let our fear make our decisions for us.
4) You need to get unstuck from the past, bless it correct, forgive yourself (easier said than done, I know) move on in the only way we can: from right here, right now.
5) Allotting some time and money each day to your project allows for incremental progress (baby steps!) and feels GREAT.
6) You can allow your intuition and your imagination to help you to create a new vision of your future. You have the weapons and the support to slay your Procrastination Dragons and rescue your Projects from the tower!
The Get It Done Workshop Starts TODAY And It Is NOT TOO LATE to sign up! Click here to order: http://www.GetItDoneTeleclass.com/fall (and if you sign up and don’t like it, just let me know and I’ll refund your money pronto presto, no questions asked.)
Also – if money is the only reason you’re not doing this, then call me right now at 818-468-0540 and we’ll work something out, OK? Good.
Now, let’s get you moving forward on your project TODAY.
“Could Do” Lists
First of all, get out a piece of paper and title it, “Could Do.”
This is because I think “To-Do” lists are dictatorial and they make me feel pressured and antsy and reluctant and even belligerent – like a high-schooler who’s being harassed to do her homework: pouty!
But “Could Do” puts me in a place of choice.
I could do the laundry, or I could walk around in nasty dirty clothes. I have a choice 🙂 Even if it’s something I know I must do, I feel more relaxed if I remember that I have the option to not do it.
Plus, we’re not trying to think of things that you WILL do for sure, we’re just brainstorming things that you COULD do. Maybe you will and maybe you won’t – we don’t know yet. We’ll have to see how you feel when we’re done.
(And sometimes writing down something that you would never, ever in a million years do can inspire some great idea that you’re really eager to do.)
1) Write down the name of someone who could really help you out on this project. Maybe it’s someone you know, or maybe it’s a hero who inspires you, or maybe it’s even someone from ancient history who might serve as an imaginary guide.
You might also want to make a note about how they might be of assistance. Could they give you advice? Introduce you to someone? Cheerlead? Proofread?
I have noticed that while people are fairly indifferent to generalized requests like, “I wish someone would help me…(sigh)” specific requests like, “Could you give me dialogue notes on Act One?” or, “Could you recommend a good watercolor instructor?” are usually responded to swiftly and in the affirmative.
2) Write down the name of someone who will NOT help you out on this project. It might be someone who will be helpful to you down the road (but not right now), or someone you know who is always a big ol’ Debbie Downer…but take a moment to think about the person with whom you will not discuss your project today.
Notice that it doesn’t mean that you don’t love them, admire them, value their opinion, whatever – it just means that as of today, you are going to consider the option of keeping this project out of their sticky, sticky hands.
3) Write down one simple, easy and affordable step you might take toward your project. This should be something that will take you less than 15 minutes and that you can very easily afford.
That’s right – I’m talking BABY STEP.
What is some tiny, incremental gesture you might make toward your project today?
- Something you could research?
- Some tool you could buy or borrow?
- Some small action you could take?
- Some doodle or outline you could sketch out?
- Some phone call or email you could easily execute?
Yep. That’s it.
That’s all there is to it. If you do this every morning (BEFORE you check your email!) you will make astounding progress and – bonus – you will feel GREAT.
Because as much as procrastination hurts your heart, moving forward – even just a little, tiny bit – feels absolutely wonderful.
Good luck!
And please, stay in touch with me and let me know how it all unfolds for you. I love hearing from you!
The Get It Done Teleclass Workshop Starts TODAY And It Is NOT TOO LATE to sign up! Click here to order: http://www.GetItDoneTeleclass.com/fall (and if you sign up and then don’t care for it, just let me know and I’ll refund your money right away, no questions asked. Guaranteed.)
Also – if money is the only reason you’re not doing this, then call me right now at 818-468-0540 and we’ll work something out, OK? Good.
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“Your tele-seminar was awesome from start to finish — and you’ve motivated and encouraged me greatly just in this one session! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! Life has been very challenging, and you’ve given me practical, creative ways to fit working on my own dreams/goals into each day. I appreciate the time you gave us, sharing your expertise and gift of encouragement through your caring heart. I will put into practice what you’ve offered/shared… to realize that the world needs what I have to offer, because I’m the only one who can do what I do — that we’re all unique with unique gifts and ways of expressing those gifts. THANK YOU, SAMANTHA!!!!!!!!!”
– Sandra H., actress
“Thanks for offering such an insightful teleconference on procrastination. You really delivered lots of practical information, exercises and tips. The exercises are straightforward, easy to use and yield “can do” action steps. Very impressive! So many of these “free” calls are mostly fluff and advertising!
I appreciate the insight that the brains of creative people get overloaded and shut down because of too many variables and unknowns. That right there explains a lot!”
Elizabeth Hyland, M. Div.
Author of Surviving The Unemployment Roller Coaster: From Stress To Success
www.UnemploymentRollerCoaster.com
“I loved this morning’s call and I got a LOT from it that I’m sure I’ll use. I love your energy and the way you cut through resistance quickly in simple ways … so I’d love to work with you because I’m sure your ideas will be helpful.”
Virginia Ellenson
http://www.GetItDoneTeleclass.com/fall
