In last week’s column I talked about being “frazzled”. This week I promised myself I would find ways to rid myself of that feeling for life. Okay – I won’t beat myself up if I start feeling frazzled once in a while – but I’m developing a plan. It’s really the same “plan outline” I used to get in shape. It will just have different areas in which I list my choices of what to do each day. It’s really nothing new. However, wording it this way helps me realize I chose whatever “routine” actions are necessary on a day-to-day basis to, in time, achieve the results I want. I can choose actions that should achieve the results within a time frame I set up. If I find they’re not achieving them in that time, I can revise them. I’ve found that the idea of a “routine” feels better to people when they understand it’s something they chose. This will help me Say YES To Myself more easily. I designed a road map for myself in terms of getting and staying in great healthy shape. Through the research I did for that I intuited a way to help others design their own roadmap to well being. I gave workshops and conducted support groups for people. I got so much out of conducting the workshops and seeing the fantastic results I was able to help people achieve – that I wrote my first book, “Find Your mini-Qs(?): Reveal the Slim, Strong, Sexy Star You Truly Are! at Age 50, 60, 70, and Beyond.”
I wrote about the word mini-Q in a previous column. To repeat – It was a word that came into my head. Instead of routine or plan or system, I tried the word “quota” – but even that had an arduous sound to me. mini-Q made me laugh, so I stuck with my daily healthy choices. The Q stands for quota; but, for some reason Q is a funny letter. I know that habit is the only way we really get things done in a simple way. Aristotle said that, centuries ago.
I’m thinking about writing a series of mini-Q books, since every area of life in which we want to accomplish something requires we develop the habits to make that something happen.
So – I am now organizing my work by making up a plan of mini-Qs for each project for each day. It may sound like a lot of work. However, once I get into the daily habit of doing the mini-Qs set for that day for each of my projects, I’ll be able to get the necessary work done. I’ll also know when I can and when I can’t choose to say YES to e.g. attending other people’s projects.
I realize it can sound crazy to need an excuse to say “No” to people about attending their shows, etc. but I find that most people I know are often stuck in the position of feeling they need to deny themselves time so they can serve their friends.
I look forward to looking at my list of work mini-Qs every morning and bouncing into them until I don’t even have to look anymore. It’ll become so natural to me that I won’t have to give it much thought – like I don’t have to think of my physical mini-Qs.
I can always write and/or learn a song when I need to. I have those mini-Qs ingrained in me. I can always give a great talk, when I’m booked to do so. I put together the video demo for the video piece I want to get booked without much hassle at all. I have the mini-Qs for that. I have the mini-Qs for writing this column every week. Now I need the mini-Qs to complete all my projects and, mainly the mini-Qs to market them in the modern world. This ties in with the column I wrote about earning my Leadership Stripe to get into my summer camp’s Honor Legion when I was a kid. While this may sound childish to some people, I can’t begin to tell you how many people I speak with who have been trouble “getting it all done”. I’ll let you know how I’m doing. I’m well on my way to earning my Leadership Stripe. Now I’ll be well on my way toward building my marketing world. I think you’ll agree, that however we may feel about it, most of us today – whatever field we’re in are marketers. Onward to finding my “work mini-Qs!” That’s saying YES to me.