“Why do I need to outsmart myself?” you might ask.
The answer is: “Because you’re so smart.”
It is fabulous to be smart – to know a lot about a lot of subjects, to have vast experience, and to be such an expert. Congratulations on all of it!
And yet when you are smart you can make things complicated. These three simple steps are counter-intuitive so they will help you trick your mind.
Here they are:
1. Know your finish line before you get started.
Do you race out of the gate like a greyhound, then wonder, “How did I get here?” and feel less than satisfied with your results?
A much more powerful way to go about life is to know your ideal outcome before you get into action. You will automatically become more strategic, clearer in your thinking, and more purposeful in your action.
2. Be messy to get organized.
The way to outsmart yourself here is to get around your perfectionism by giving up the idea of knowing the whole plan in great detail before taking a single step. Give yourself permission to be messy, and not know. In this way you will get into action. As you do, you will uncover what there is to do and how to accomplish it.
3. Slow down to get there quicker.
Remember the fable of the tortoise and the hare? It looked obvious that the hare was going to win the race with the tortoise. However, the hare raced ahead at such a pace that he exhausted himself, then stopped to rest and fell asleep. So the tortoise, slow and steady, actually won the race!
Who are you in your life? Are you more like the hare, rushing through life at breakneck speed and exhausting yourself?
If so, take a breath and take breaks. At a minimum, do one thing at a time rather than juggling and rushing through your day. The key to getting there quicker is to slow down.
In a nutshell, the Three Simple Steps to Outsmart Yourself are:
1. Know your finish line before you get started.
2. Be messy to get organized.
3. Slow down to get there quicker.
Start using them today and watch yourself become more effective, relaxed, and delighted with your results.