This quote from Bill Gates and Warren Buffet is so powerful:
“It should not be a sign of success that you have no space in your diary, yet it seems that is how we define ourselves in the business world.”
Additional Note: This post went crazy on LinkedIn – if you would like to see peoples responses and my answers here is the link
Here are a couple of challenges for you:
- When someone asks, “How are you?” or “What is your day like?” or a similar question, replace the “Really busy” response with something positive like – “My day is really great, I have some wonderful opportunities I am currently working on” or “Great. I’m looking forward to what I have planned” or something similar. Resist the temptation to react with the “I’m really busy” response because to quote the above 2 luminaries – Busy is the new stupid.
- Look at your diary and check in where you have some space – say one hour to start with – and write your name in that space. If anyone asks for that time say “Sorry, I have a really important meeting then. Is there another time that works for you?”
These 2 simple (but maybe not easy) challenges are to begin reclaiming what matters – how you think and what you do to ensure you have time to think and create.
In my book Born Genius, I talk about The Gap. It is the place between the thoughts that all of the great’s create to come up with new concepts and ideas. Where do you create The Gap for yourself? It doesn’t happen in The Stupid, whoops The Busy.
If you are super challenged by this, why not contact me and look at what is keeping you in The Stupid.
From one recovering Stupid
Pete
