Welcome to yet another Law of Productivity and Effectiveness. This is the 6th law, and it is powerful. Have you had the experience of working whole mindfully on something with great productivity, and then later on another task you could barely get yourself to get any work done? Well, I do have one guess as to why that might be. Today’s law is, “Be passionate about your work.”
How I Discovered The Cause of My Inability to Get Anything Done
Look, I can say from personal experience that before I learned how to become productive with my time, (not saying I am anywhere near perfect yet) I was always confused as to why I could only get certain things done effectively. Only recently have I discovered one of the true reasons that allowed me to work so well. It was because the project that I was working on was something that I was passionate about. That, or I was spending most of my time on actions which helped me to express my creative passions.
For example, when I began my programming career I was only working on projects that I thought up. I wasn’t working for anyone else at first. I dreamed up an ideal game that I thought would be very fun to play, mapped out the ideas on paper, and just started coding and designing. There were days where I would sit on my couch with the laptop and work for 12 hours straight without a break. I could get so much done it was rediculous.
As time went on, and I began picking up work from other people and doing projects for clients and big companies, it became difficult for me to work for more than 30 to 60 minutes as a time at best. It was really mind boggling. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t gain any focus.
In reality, there were a large number of reasons as to why, however at the very CORE level of it I just had absolutely no interest in doing any of that work. I was putting off doing the things that I was really interested in, in favor of making a quick buck.
I took the time to reflect back on all of my past experiences and times when I was hardly able to get any work done, and I realized that in each instance that I was least productive, it was because I was very uninterested in what I was doing and I wasn’t spending any time pursuing my passion.
This Law is About More Than Getting Things Done
Today’s law is not only about produtivity, it is about happiness and fulfillment. Hey, I understand that there are times we are going to need to do things which we aren’t 100% passionate about, but let me make this very clear. You MUST make time for yourself. I DO NOT CARE if you are the busiest person on the planet with all of the things that you have to do. If a good chunk of that time is not being devoted to YOU and what YOU care about, you are slowly killing yourself. STOP IT!
I am very passionate about this subject, because it has been a huge part in some of the realizations that I have made in my life. I am here to tell you that without passion in your life, you are doomed to confusion, ineffectiveness, and overall unhappiness. I really hope that you get this message through your head today.
Alright, I understand that some of you do not fully understand what your “passion” in life is. Let me say this, it isn’t about what your 1 true passion is. It is more about doing the things that make you happy. The things that have come from your creative mind, inspiration, or a sense of joy are all in some way connected. I have experienced many things in my life, and I can find projects and activities in each career that I have been passionate about.
It is Okay to Not Know. It is Okay to Be Afraid.
Find your values, look for the things that make you happy and find a way to incorporate it into your current lifestyle. Better yet, take the time to sit down and DESIGN your ideal lifestyle, and then begin working out a plan to move your life in that direction. If what you want out of life is to be able to travel around the world 8 months out of the year, ask yourself if your current profession will allow it. If not, you have some work to do my friend.
It may be scary, and that is good. That means you have something to grow from. Each success in life leads to an even bigger feeling of confidence. Look for those areas of growth, and believe me when I say this: Your life will become more exciting each day that you grow.
How to Apply This Law to Your Life and Discover Your Passions
So now that you have an idea of where I am coming from. How can you use this information to help you out right now? Well here are a few steps. Putting this law to action is more about self reflection than anything. Take out your journal, or favorite notekeeping software and let’s get to work.
1. Ask yourself these questions.
- Is your project contributing to the completion of something you are creatively passionate about?
- If not, have you given yourself a chance to spend time on something that you are creatively passionate about?
If there are two NO answers to those questions, then you might have an Ah-Hah moment. Look, it is time to put yourself first. You can’t help the world if your inner self is in turmoil. Next…
- How can I spend more time on areas that I am passionate about?
- How can I incorporate the things that bring me happiness into the work that I am doing right now?
2. Think about the answers and decide to take action.
If any of the above questions were hard for you, because you do not even have an idea of what your passions are then it is time to make it clear. Look, you KNOW what you are passionate about, you just have it blocked off behind years of repressed social conditioning. I am willing to bet that within a week you can begin to gain some huge insights into your inner voice and creativity. I truly believe we all have it within ourselves to become great.
Spend time reflecting on what it is that you enjoy the most. You should speak to someone you trust and discuss this. If you really want great results, I suggest hiring a life coach to guide you through it. If you want some affordable 1-on-1 coaching, use my contact form and I’d be happy to schedule a free initial coaching call with you.
Did you gain any insights into your life today? Do you have any experiences that you would like to share? I encourage your to leave a comment today, and if you are really serious about taking your life to the next level send me an e-mail and let’s have a talk.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I love the name of the site.
I found some helpful information on Zen Habits but you probably know about that.
Right now I try to live in the moment an be “present”. To really listen to my wife and son. To be there when I’m there.
Stephen Bozzone | Invention Addict´s last blog ..Aquanotes: I get my best ideas in the shower
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Colbycheeze Reply:
March 8th, 2010 at 7:17 pm
Thanks Stephen for the comment! I was considering actually changing the domain name to that.
Yea Zen Habits is a great blog, and it was one of the first ones I began reading this year that got me excited bout starting this blog.
Being present when you are in the presence of your loved ones is so important. It is way too easy to find your mind thinking about the day, and if you do that then you rob yourself and those around you of your complete attention.
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Just saw your comment on ViperChill. Keep at it. It’s a steep learning curve. I’ve just hit 840 subscribers after a year of blogging. You can do it too:) I recommend removing the feedreader count until you have over 500 subsribers. Keep up the good writing!
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Colbycheeze Reply:
March 8th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Thank you for the advice and support Annabel. Btw, great blog! I subscribed, and look forward to seeing your articles!
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Great article! Sacrificing what you want to do for money is not always worth it (I say not always, because there is a minimal level of money one needs). I found I was staying in jobs that were okay, that on occasion provided a stimulus bump but not often enough, just for the salary and comfort of not changing. Now I’m going into the deep waters of the unknown (i.e. no job planned after I leave this one) and have seen my creativity soar. All I can say is: it’s worth it!
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Colbycheeze Reply:
March 15th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
That’s awesome Jen! I hope you really do well with your new ventures. I know it feels great to feel a large amount of creativity to flow to your life.
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Very motivational, and there is no doubt about the importance of being aware of where we are going and where we have been. I also love the simplicity of the Thesis theme…good stuff!
DJ Morris´s last blog ..Abacoa Homes For Sale Shortage In 2011?
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