Are you biting off more than you can chew?
How often do you start projects that you never finish? Do you spread yourself so thin you constantly feel like you’re failing to give anything the attention it needs or deserves? To you take on work then find you need to push back on deadlines you simply can’t reach?
There is no doubt ambition can be a good thing. Striving to achieve stretch goals or make a significant contribution, can often mean we land further ahead than we otherwise would have. But the simple reality is if we ‘bite off more than we can chew’ doing anything well becomes the challenge.
Our ability to thrive in any area of life, demands focus and discipline. That is focus on what matters most and the discipline to follow through until the job is done to the standard needed. Being focused requires that we decide not only what we are going to do but also what we’re not going to do.
If you constantly find yourself taking on too much it’s important to step back and reflect on why that is. What is really motivating you to say yes, or go after another opportunity when logic says you don’t have the capacity to do that?
In my case I come up with all sorts of ideas that I’m passionate about and at times lack the patience to work on things when they reach the top of my priority list. When I reflect there have been far too many times when I’ve invested hours and even days engrossed in projects that I ultimately never finished because another great idea or priority came along and took my attention.
People pleasing is another common reason we say yes to taking on things we simply don’t have the bandwidth to fit into our schedule. All too often I work with people who are afraid if they say no they will be perceived as being unwilling to help or share the load. The problem is when we say yes, when the answer should be no, we risk either burning ourselves out or dropping the ball and failing to deliver on the promises we’ve made.
Many of the senior leaders or business owners I work with are afraid to let some opportunities go by. We’re often encouraged to seize opportunities if we want to create success in our lives, but at times what make more sense is that we wait for a better moment when we are more able to realise the benefits in the opportunities that arise. As Richard Branson once said, “Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming”.
Tips
- Be clear about why you are saying yes to people or opportunities
- Be pragmatic about the time, energy and resources you have
- Set priorities and know when something just doesn’t fit
- Be prepared to walk away from opportunities that have come along at the wrong time