As you grow in your career, business, and life you may find yourself wondering how in the world will I keep up? There is so much to do — how will it all get done? 
Can you relate? Ever find yourself trying to do it *all*?
The list is endless…Work, kids, family, friends, books to read, hobbies (or not), food to cook, build the biz, check the mail, connect on facebook – no twitter, and google plus, schedule webinar, attend networking event, do the work….
Honestly, when I look at it in a mess of a list like that I think the same thing… How in the world will it all get done? Is it possible? I mean, how can one person possibly keep up with all of that?
Oh, and by the way, when you get uber successful — because you are on your way, baby! — it is going to get even crazier.
Right?
Well, maybe… But maybe not.
If you change your perspective and set up the right systems, you’ll be smooth sailing. You can have it all and still have time to experience life. No joke.
Here’s what I mean.
What’s your thing?
Let’s get real. You won’t be able to do it all and do it all well. And frankly, there are just some things you don’t need to do or worry about.
You do, however, need to focus on killin’ it for those things that make you who you are. The things that get you your rave reviews. That make your brand shine.
It is your zone of genius, your gorgeous truth, your north star. It’s your thing.
For example, my thing is to be connected to, supportive of, and approachable as perceived by you, the people I serve.
I got away from this for a while, but when I do that one thing and do that one thing really well I feel better and the people I love feel taken care of.
That’s my thing. That’s the thing that makes me shine. It gives me joy.
You’ve got to play bigger where it counts.
What will you be just “okay” at?
There are some things you just need to shoot for a grade of “good enough” on.
My clean closet, for example, solid B- grade for me on that. My daughter losing a week of grades due to unexcused absences because we choose to take a family trip to Hawaii in the middle of the school year – perfection.
We choose life experiences over the grade.
It’s all about perspective, focus, and priorities.
What will you stop doing?
Danielle Laporte calls it the stop doing list. Make one.
There are some things you should just not be doing. …Why? Because you suck at it, you hate it, or you have outgrown it. I used to be the one who paid the bills in my house. When I was preggo last year, I started dropping the ball. No interest. Big fat F. Because this is an important thing that needs to get done, I enlisted my husband who I had to motivate to take this on.
Delegate.
Delete.
Move up.
Shine on.
This applies in business in your career and in your everyday life.
Caution: If you find yourself thinking: There are other things that I know I don’t “need” to do but I feel like I have to — who else can do them as good as I can? Be careful. Don’t let yourself get sucked into the misconception that you are the only one who can do it right. Set up the right expectations and systems and you can multiply yourself and better leverage your brainpower.
ACTION JACKSON FREEBIE
Here’s a worksheet I made for you to strategize and develop your action plan on how to actually implement this concept. Use it on your iPad or print it out old school.
Tell Me….
Because I’m all about you living your bliss, I’ve got to know… What’s your thing???? And what are you going to settle for ”just okay” on?
xo,
Amber
One More thing!
ACTIVATE + RADIATE in 15
I’m offering free mini sessions for anyone who wants to talk more about how to play bigger where it counts! Sign up here to get your spot before they are gone!
Amber
I totally find myself trying to do it all. And truth be told I really can do a lot.
But recently I’ve been leaning into what makes me feel MOST alive, what brings me most joy AND serves others. Consequently I’ve been re-vamping my intuitive reading offers. I’ve been inspired to offer premium services and stop trying to get a bit at the mini readings. Whats weird though is that what I love most, feels like I ought NOT be paid for it. So today I embracing this, revamping and rolling it out!
(hugs)
Sarah
Sarah,
I totally hear you! I also am one who can get a whole heck of a lot done, but I think you hit the nail on the head. Our sweet spot, our thing, the thing we do most should be that thing we don’t think we ought to get paid for. And we can do and give so much more when we let go of the stuff that doesn’t make us come alive!
I’m thrilled for you and can’t wait to get in on your services!
xo,
Amber
OMG girl! I LOVE this post – truly!! I am all about choosing life experiences over the grade!!! That is hot and the way I like it baby! So happy to see you shine in this way…totally on target luv!
Hey, and I also want to chat about highlighting this on my new site “biz site” too!!!
xo, Tina
Experience over the grade for sure! And Hawaii over school anyday!
I wish we could get the school system to see it our way… in time, in time!!!
So looking forward to learning more about your new biz site as well. Yes, on the highlight and I would love to chat it up!
I’ll message you!
xo,
Amber
Amber – the straight A overachiever part of me really wants to do it all… so this is an area of growth for me. I’m finding that I’m ok w/ a C in house cleaning and grocery shopping. It’s funny that you mentioned your Hawaii vacation, we were just talking about what exactly the consequences would be for taking such an adventure mid-school year. Love your take on it!
Hey Christie – I think it depends on the school system, but for us the school imposed consequence was “unexcused” and “zero” for all assignments. Funny enough, Lilly still made honor roll that semester. Either they didn’t do much in school those seven days, Lilly rocked it leading up to the trip, or the teachers saw it our way…
This is a constant area of growth for me as well – constantly up leveling, right? I’m gearing up to train and outsource a lot to an intern this summer. EXCITED. Do you have anything you are rolling off your plate?
xo,
Amber
Amber, you hit the nail on the head with “Don’t let yourself get sucked into the misconception that you are the only one who can do it right.” It’s so much about my ego and pride and knowing (thinking!) only I can get things done. I am getting better at it because I’m tired of feeling burned out all the time but boy, it’s hard for me to delegate!
This was (and still very much is!) a hard-learned lesson for me when I had kids. Turns out little girls make getting anything done much harder. In order to stay in any way afloat, I had to learn how to not do it all. I love how you talk about the trap of finding someone who can do it ‘as well as me’. I hit that block all the time and am learning that just because someone does it differently doesn’t make it done wrong. At some point I am just happy it is taken care of and I can focus on what makes me me! Love this post, totally printed out the worksheet (oh yeah, old school baby!) and am working on finding things to pass over to someone else’s list.
(Not that I think that is right for everyone, just saying that I wholeheartedly back memories and life over grades any day!)
By the way, I plan on homeschooling my girls exactly because of what you mentioned! Who needs ‘school’ when you have a whole world out there?!
Beautifully said, Amber! I love this. I totally have a stop doing list. There are definitely things I am just not good at and I don’t want to do. This year was the year I fully implemented it and started to delegate things to other people. I hired a few peeps and am getting a few interns to delegate, delegate, delegate. It has been the best choice I have ever made. I’m excellent at helping women entrepreneurs create a miraculous business that is fully connected to their heart and soul, where they get to make money, too. It’s important to me for the individual to feel fully aligned with what they created because when they don’t they start spinning downwards and we are all met to sparkle in this world. Keep on sparkling beauty. Love what you are all about and what you do. Love the new look too of your site.
xoxo
Alara
Delegate. Delete. Move up. Shine on. {We all need to practice this, don’t we?} I read Danielle’s post about the Stop Doing List, but as a one-woman show, it can be hard to truly practice letting go of some of these tasks– we feel like we need to be Superwoman and do it all!
Printing the worksheet. Writing a Stop Doing list. And settling in to a little more ease.
xoxo,
Heather
Oh, yes. That little part at the end: “the misconception that you are the only one who can do it right”. My sister and I grew up watching our mom live that misconception to the fullest, bless her heart. Every time I see myself falling into that habit, it makes me cringe a little.
But yes, concentrate on what one is best at, and delegate the rest. It’s the only way to get anything done, really. Thanks for the post!
I totally feel you on this! So well written.
In my most recent post I talked about how if my personality was judged on how well I do laundry, I’d be considered a horrible person.
There is such HUGE freedom in giving yourself permission to be ‘just ok’. Frees up the juice to make the other things rock. A friend of mine is back to school to get a required credential for something she is excellent at and has been doing for over 20 years. Normally she’d go above and beyond, strive to be top of her class. But the credential is just a requirement. She’s doing it well, covering her bases but giving her excellence to the things she loves. Isn’t that great? I feel like you’re inviting something similar. Nice work!
Word;) Making memories with our loved ones is the most rewarding, everlasting, valuable thing we can give and receive!! As a photographer, you know the value of memories and capturing them=priceless:) Working on my Stop doing list, and as most of the comments above stated ~ work….in ….progress….always a practice….continue to work on~it’s true the list takes a whole lotta thought and it’s ever changing! It really helps me to visualize what I need to focus on and all those other things that come in and out of life that I need to let go of, or delegate. For me this may mean relationships (the ones you hold onto for no real reason), or events that don’t mean anything to you, your life, your purpose……you know the things or people you squeeze in that squeeze out some of the things/task/events/people/moments that give you True joy, or work towards “killin it” . Sometimes you just gotta say no, so you can say HELL YES to something even better! Every time you post girl, ya keep me on track:) xoxo -D
Simply gorgeous piece Amber… So what’ my thing… my zone of genius is helping women create the most amazing dating adventures… I also think I am pretty sweet at vlogging…
I still haven’t outsourced as much as I’d like… and I still get frustrated when I delegate and it gets done in a half-ass manner.. but I realize there must be a breakdown in communication somewhere. Totally working on it… Love your website design by the way!
What a great post! FOCUS on one thing, hit it out of the park, knock people’s socks off rinse and repeat. Hell just knock your own socks off! Its just as good and I love how you stress that is just fine to be OK at something. Such a great reminder this week Ms. Amber! Can’t wait to read more from you!
AV
I love this advice.
The one thing drives everything. Finding your mission, serving your people, being you. All hinged on your one thing.
Also:
delegate. Delete.
Brilliant.
I love this post! I have a bad habit of wanting to be best at everything that I do/try out/start in life… Yea I know – stupid!
This post really made me see things in a new way, that it is better to do some things only in an okay-way to be a start at the ones I really dig… So thank you Amber for writing this!
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