New York-based leadership consultant Kelly Higgins had an idea for a new business initiative—a membership continuity program to give her consulting clients more support and value while increasing her visibility and enhancing her “expert” status. She thought about how to move the idea forward and discussed it with colleagues and friends. Six months later, though, she was involved in other projects and seemed to be making little headway with the more heart-connected effort. Kelly began to doubt herself, and couldn’t decide if she wasn’t managing her time well, if her priorities were off kilter or if she was just being lazy.
Perhaps she really was making progress, though it was less tangible than expected. Kelly had been experimenting mentally with her ideas, making contacts with people who had done similar or related things and talking with people in her target market about what their needs were. All of this was percolating in a positive way, so when she was ready to take action, it would be informed, inspired and highly focused instead of wasted effort. Meanwhile, she was investing most her energy into strengthening current revenue streams.
Most business people face this kind of postponed initiative, and it affects not only their self-perception, but also their effectiveness and productivity. Here’s a three-step fix—it isn’t what you’d expect:
1. Let your feet drag
In an Orlando-area workshop, participants were developing a more in-depth picture of what they wanted their future to look like, including business and career goals, financial profile, personal aspirations, relationships and home life. Denise Daniels, who had sold her family business a few months earlier, hoped to leave with a clear and thorough idea of what was next for her. Despite a variety of visioning exercises, it didn’t happen for her that evening. She simply wasn’t ready yet. Pushing for “the right answer” when the broad outline isn’t yet settled results in wheel-spinning, at best.
While waiting for the proverbial light bulb to go on, there are things to help the process along, including examining your values, composing missions, mind-mapping, journaling, even dream-boarding and meditating. The most effective technique for defining your vision may be sitting alone on a deserted beach or taking a solitary hike in the woods.
2. Wait for clarity
Taking action simply for the sake of taking action usually results in frustration, exasperation and time lost. Instead, focus on other goals and activities for the time being. Doing so could lead to meeting someone, reading something or learning about an idea, resource or event that becomes the stimulus forward, perhaps bringing your vision for the future into clearer focus.
3. Stop thinking so much
Doubt and indecision will dog your actions, if you let them. Focusing on the future often leads to second-guessing and struggles with the present, causing a huge reduction in productivity. If contemplating the future gets you tied in knots, forget about it for the moment. Let go of the perceived need to make a decision, particularly if there is no deadline. If there is a deadline, say “no” unless you feel a definite “yes”. Put energy into activities most strongly aligned with your picture of what you’d like your current—not future—success to look like. Pay no heed to self-critical messages running through your brain labeling you a slacker for not moving ahead. Your inner judge is there to help prevent failure, so understand its purpose without buying into its bullying.
People solve problems by analysis and intentional thinking. This generally works well, except when courting creativity and future possibilities. We typically manage our lives, work and challenges using logic, reason, categorization and process. But, most people are not practiced at using the imaginative, holistic and more random feeling dimensions that set the stage for synthesis, possibility and bigger picture ideation. “Mindless” activities help put us in touch with this part of our brain, and we can more easily make the lateral connections that lead to an “a-ha!” It’s the difference between systematically looking under every boulder, around every tree and within every bush with the only aim being to find “it” quickly, versus meandering along where you feel drawn while maintaining a keen awareness of your surroundings, with the purpose of enjoying the search and allowing the space and time as needed until “it” is found.
Doing the latter requires faith, trust and self-confidence: faith that the information needed will come in time; trust that you’re not missing opportunities or shooting yourself in the foot while waiting; and self-confidence that you’re not being stupid, lazy or using bad judgment. It takes practice to sustain patience in the face of internal critics, and gets easier as you experience more positive outcomes. In the interim, you’re much more productive working on current priorities and efforts—those for which the time is now ripe and appropriate.
By Kerul Kassel
About the Author:
Kerul Kassel is the author of the newly released, “Productive Procrastination” as well as the award winning, “Stop Procrastinating Now.” Her experience includes investment and real estate management, as well as 20 years of leadership in for-profit and non-profit organizations. As the founder of New Leaf Systems—a consulting firm dedicated to creating higher performance outcomes and business profitability—her clients have included NASA, Sony, Hilton and Volvo. For more information or a free procrastivity report, visit www.Procrastivity.com.
- People:
- Kelly Higgins
- Places:
- New York