I work with a lot of men. One of the most common challenges they have is that there’s simply too much to do and not enough time.
This can seem like the cause of a lot of stress. I can relate to this because I’ve felt like this too. Being a business owner, a husband, a father and a son, it often can seem like I’ve had a lot of obligations on me. There is simply not enough time to please everybody.
A reminder of one of the sayings from my former mentor Zan Perrion: “Commitments are great, but obligations are sin.”
He encouraged me to turn any obligations I have in my life into commitments. A commitment is something that I agree to do, as opposed to an obligation which feels like it’s put on me. I don’t have to take on any obligations and neither does anyone else. I can take on commitments that I can meet and disregard any obligations someone might be putting on me that I simply cannot meet. Behind all that lies peace and knowing that I don’t need to do anything.
My coach Steve Hardison has reminded me of that a couple of times, that there is nothing that we need to do in life. Everything is a choice. With that knowledge comes a real deep sense of peace and quiet for me, tapping into a power. Now I get to decide what I put my time and attention to.
If you’re reading this and you’re feeling stressed and out of sorts because there’s too much going on, I encourage you to slow down and realise there is absolutely nothing that you need to do. From that place, you can start making commitments and deciding what you choose to do and what you prioritise.
P.S. I had the honour of being a podcast guest at the Ultimate Coach Podcast, where Meredith Bell was the host. She is an inspiring woman and the Co-founder and President of Grow Strong Leaders. We were talking about ways to respond when someone acknowledges you for something you’ve done or said. There are so many layers to the simple gesture of expressing and receiving acknowledgements.. Please click here to listen to the podcast.
With love and appreciation,
Ankush Jain
Coach and Author of Sweet Sharing – Rediscovering the REAL You