Do more.
Take on more.
Be more.
And do it all faster than you've ever done it before.
It's an unsustainable pace.
We rush and rush to try and get "everything" done and wind up collapsing in exhaustion.
The reality is that our list of things to do in life is never-ending.
Even when we come to the very end of our lives, there will be things left unfinished.
I heard somewhere recently that the secret to doing it all is that you don't.
I agree with that. But I would put a slightly different spin on it:
The secret to doing it all is knowing the right things to do. And pacing yourself while you do them.
For years, I thought I had to do everything. Be everything for my kids, my friends, my family, my job.
I thought that if I stopped or slowed down, I wouldn't be doing enough.
In any area of my life.
Until I realized that I was doing too many things that just didn't matter. And burning myself out in the process.
I started saying no to more things. Or "not now" and fitting them in where it worked with my schedule.
And you know what?
The world didn't end.
Most of the time, it's been fine.
People understand, especially when you are real with them. It's okay to say, I need to prioritize time with my family or my self-care. Or to say, I can't do that this week, can I get back to you next week?
We're all struggling with this balance between our sanity and our commitments.
Knowing the right things to do, that add value to your life and the lives of others, is key.
So is the pace at which we do them.
I had an epiphany yesterday about that.
When I run, I usually try to beat my last pace. I focus on time and how quickly I can get through the run.
This time, I decided to focus on endurance.
How long could I run without stopping?
When I focused on distance vs. pace, I was able to run further. Without needing to pause and catch my breath.
I think this is true in all areas of life.
We need to find ways to pace ourselves. To level out the pile of stuff we have to do so we aren't running at breakneck speed.
This is the only way we'll increase our endurance so we can go the distance.
And we'll feel better, stronger and less winded when we get there.
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