Saying “No” to Little Things

I’m honestly embarrassed to admit how often I allow myself to give into the “little things” that so easily distract me from the important things.

When I feel unmotivated or unclear or sad or overwhelmed, it’s just so darn easy to let myself slide into doing things that feel useful or productive, but really amount to little more than distracting myself with “busy work” or autopiloting my way through a stack of messages or tasks to feel “caught up.”

Things I can predictably control and see a clear line to finish are often easy got-tos — like my email inbox, or reviewing latest project updates or even taking care of yard work.

And then of course, also there’s the straight up leisurely, time-wasting things I put in the “recharging myself” category — like playing Mario Kart, or catching up on You Tube channel subscriptions.

But here’s the thing:

I literally can’t do everything I want to, must less everything I should be doing.

So I’m challenging myself to level-up. To become the kind of man who’s clear priority is doing the best things more often than not — the things that matter.

This requires mental strength. It requires greater fortitude. 

And these are muscles I can grow by exercising them.

What has stopped me?

Thus far what has kept me from doing everything I can to focus as much of my time & attention as possible on these biggest, most important needle-moving things?

Being completely honest, I’d say it’s mostly because I’ve not really taken the time to give myself crystal clarity on what those “things that matter” really are.

Sure, I know a few of them.

But then there’s also a lot in the “things that matter” category that I’ve not yet really taken the time to get clear about.

But I must. 

Of the roughly 28,835 days I’ve likely been given on earth, I prolly only have around 17,885 left, give or take.

So, I MUST squeeze the most juice out of it. 

Why wouldn’t I? 

Something I know:

The times when I’ve taken the time to thoughtfully craft some big, ambitious goal I’m super excited about — that’s when I seem to be able to simply say “no” to the lesser things.

That’s when it becomes somehow easy to no longer let the “good things” rob my precious time & attention from the really “great” things I’m aware of.

It’s the gift of crystal clarity I’ve given myself.

🔎 C L A R I T Y

It seems to me that being a good steward of my roughly 28,835 days on this earth means become committed to:

1. Becoming deliberately, clearly aware of the things that matter most vs. those that don’t
2. Ambitiously planning, goal setting, and thoughtfully advancing my pursuit of these things
3. And a determined clarity to say “no” to lesser things that would distract me from them if allowed