This Is No Time For the “Once I” Game

Life is a whole different kind of busy these days. While still juggling the responsibilities of work, appointments, family, life management (car, home, etc), we now have to do it all while staying six feet apart and deprived of hugs.

Don’t kill the messenger, but I don’t see things changing much in the near future so it’s time to get creative about how you can live a life you love now instead of waiting for this all to be over.

As we’re experiencing, life turns on a dime and things are rarely if ever set up perfectly for you to do what you dream of doing. This is no time for the “Once I…” game. You know:

“Once I finish this project, I’ll play with my kids.”

“Once I get good lighting, I’ll start making videos.”

“Once I create my writing nook, I’ll get going on my book.”

Instead of waiting for the ideal conditions, take action and create them. You do that by diving into the exact things you’re putting off. Carving out time for those bigger moves now can actually make “Once I’s” happen or go away.

Check this out…

What if:

• Time on the floor with your kids is just the boost you need to finish that work project?
• Creating video content using the lights you have now gets you a client that makes you easily afford more advanced tools?
• Working on your book in your current space helps to solidify the design of your nook?

By postponing your priorities, you get lost in the minutiae and lose sight of the bigger picture. Your life’s vision becomes buried under the clutter of tasks, projects, and responsibilities. It’s there that it will suffocate, and it takes a lot more effort to resuscitate a goal than it does to give it regular bursts of oxygen.

This week, try this:

• Identify what quality-of-life or BHAGs you’re procrastinating on because of a story you’re telling yourself.
• Evaluate the current tasks that take up your time. Could someone else do them for you? Is it a commitment you could cancel? Is there an easier way to get it done than how you’re handling it now?
• Schedule at least one pleasure activity this week to support the notion that refueling benefits all areas of your life and to begin dismantling the belief that play only comes after work.
• If (when!) you feel resistance toward the relaxing activity, remind yourself that by doing it, you are, in fact, working on the pressing projects or tasks — by refueling.

As backwards as it may sound, sometimes we have to move on the big stuff first to help the smaller things fall into place. Besides, we don’t want you using the smaller stuff as excuses for not make bold moves. The world — and your life — is waiting for you.