This is a place for me to capture and work through the ideas, worries, and concerns that come to my mind. As a self-diagnosed ruminator, these posts free me from the tiring and unproductive grinding and re-living, that usually happens at 3 in the morning! The posts are an outlet for me, and a reminder to me to stay focused on my core desire – to live the life I was uniquely created to live. Please know that the posts are for my mental well-being – if they benefit the reader in some way that is a bonus. From time-to-time, I may add a reader question or action – I encourage you to give them a shot, since they capture the thought and action I am dealing with at the time.
The WHIRLWIND According to Covey
Per franklincovey.com: Every year, organizations spend more than $30 billion on strategy creation – and more than 80% of those strategies fail. Per medium.com: 80% of people who make New Year’s resolutions will have failed them by the second week of February.
So, what is the problem? Why do our resolutions, goals, strategies ROUTINELY fail? FranklinCovey blames it on the WHIRLWIND. (shortform.com/blog/4dx-whirlwind)
…the whirlwind is the distraction created by urgent, day-to-day operations. Instead of focusing on the importance of the long-term goal, you get swept up in urgency…
…the whirlwind takes up so much energy and focus that people don’t have the energy or time left over to do new things.
Does the whirlwind only pertain to business? I contend that it does NOT – or at least I can say that I live in a whirlwind. The never-ending onslaught of shopping, cooking, cleaning…laundry…bill paying…work…house upkeep and maintenance… I’d like to include going to church, working out, dating my wife to the list – but those, unfortunately, are not on my current whirlwind list. Next thing you know, you’re watching the 10:00PM news and getting ready for bed – to be ready to address the whirlwind in the morning.
So - is it WORTH setting GOALS or RESOLUTIONS? What can be done to increase the odds of GOAL success?
Where is the Panic Monster When I Need Him?
Oxford defines PROCRASTINATION as: the action of delaying or postponing something. Jamesclear.com in an article Procrastination: A Scientific Guide on How to Stop Procrastinating says “Procrastination is a challenge we have all faced at one point or another. For as long as humans have been around, we have been struggling with delaying, avoiding, and procrastinating on issues that matter to us.”
I am curious – where are you on the Procrastination Scale, from 1-to-10? For me – I’d say 8.7 but my score certainly varies day-to-day… ok, minute-to-minute. I no doubt would have been diagnosed as having Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in elementary school IF that was a thing back then. Mayo Clinic says ADHD “is a mental health disorder that includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior.” Yes – that is me.
My current ADHD manifestation is “Doom Scrolling.” I have 4 news feeds on my phone that I repeatedly scroll through and then repeat – and I get frustrated when there is nothing new in the feed, in what, the 5 minutes that have elapsed since my last trip through the feed. Egads!