Energy Follows Attention
There is no such thing as time management
We make time for what matters to us.
We say that we are prioritizing something and set out goals, but eventually, we lose interest, and what we said we wanted or achieve falls off our To Do List.
Why does this happen when we honestly do care about whatever IT is?
It happens because we focus on the externals of accomplishment, not the intrinsic drive to achieve a goal. Creating structures and plans, such as blocking time in your calendar and setting up accountability partners, are helpful. But they may not sustain you in the long run.
It’s not about time management. It’s about committing to something that matters more deeply in a way that the accomplishment is more significant than the goal. For example, you have a goal of losing ten pounds. Okay. But you’ll soon lose interest or eventually gain the weight back. Instead, desiring a healthy lifestyle to participate in activities that bring you joy is more motivating than losing ten pounds because it’s BIGGER, lasts longer and brings you more satisfaction emotionally.
If you feel stuck, or if you feel like Sisyphus rolling the boulder uphill, or if you’re not making time for whatever your IT is, it’s likely something else matters more. Perhaps comfort feels so much better than exertion. Or an extra hour of sleep counts more than going to the gym. Perhaps what you define as security prevents you from taking any risks.
You might not want that to be true, but it is true because you ultimately choose based on what you want most. Short-term gratification often wins over long-term commitment.
Where you put your attention is where your energy goes, so if you ‘e not putting your attention on something that you say matters, you have to ask yourself, does it matter enough?
After some soul searching and a commitment to something more intrinsic, create a structure around that. You will make choices intentionally, and you’ll forgive the occasional falling behind as long as you return to your plan.
Energy follows attention. #aliciaisms
Where your attention goes is where your energy goes. Where is your attention?
Want more poetry, inspiration, and prose? Maybe preview the chapters for my memoir, The Shaman’s Wife, pub date September 2024? Subscribe to Nothing Is Ordinary, my Substack. Click on the link below the graphic. Until August 21, 2023, get 20% off your subscription.
