“I want the Lego blocks, the fairy outfit, the kitten puzzle and the… Wow! Look at all the dolls! I want Princess Barbie, Beach Barbie, Ken and Barbie… Oh, look, Mom! A new…”
Mom or Dad stand alongside the enraptured youngster and look overwhelmed. They can only afford one toy, but getting junior megalomaniac to choose is like trying to stop waves breaking on a shore. The child, in a frenzy of excitement, will rush from one toy to the next in a frantic attempt to play with all of them at the same time, but not actually play with any.
Many people approach their lives this way – they try to be, do and have everything in a panic of instant gratification. Sadly, they achieve very little.
We get an idea and jump into reckless action. We get all excited: this is the idea that will set us free. Then the inevitable day comes when the details of the project bog us down. Boredom sets in and we look for another bright, shiny object to chase.
Just like enraptured junior megalomaniac, we are easily distracted: we never achieve success, and feel like an exhausted failure and say, “But I’m working so hard!”
The answer is, in fact, very simple: focus only on one project at a time, all the way through to completion.
Use time, money, energy and skills responsibly.
Recognise that you don’t have to know everything about everything.
Hire experts and listen to them.
Remember the words of Robert McClure: “A=R+P, or Adventure equals Risk plus Purpose.”
This week’s challenge is to ask yourself these questions:
What’s the return on investment I can expect from this goal or project?
Will the achievement of this goal give me what I really want?
Do I really know what I really want?
What is my plan?
