As for your question, I’m in the transition phase of movement for motion to purposeful movement , and it’s tough, you have commitments to still fulfill although your heart isn’t there anymore
This brings me back to discussing the expectancy theory. The thing is at some point, we always end up trying to find external reasons for our efforts not matching up to our desires.
They would think I'm serious. They would think I need to take a break, in fact. They'd say I am overly critical with myself.
But it's the same kind of seriousness you're writing about here, one that doesn't really result in much progress. Just vengeful, obsessive, short-lived bursts of energetic working that's truly inconsistent and less valuable in the grand scheme of things.
I literally wrote a post on LinkedIn about how I lived March intentionally, and hope to do so in the following months, but the vigour pretty much ended after writing it 🙂↕️This post is a reminder that “it’s not by mouth, ” and an invitation to reflect, then DO.
"But this reflection isn’t about guilt-tripping myself into burnout. It’s not about shaming myself into thinking I don’t do enough. It’s about alignment. About honesty. About asking, Is the way I live each day aligned with the future I keep saying I want?"
Balance is necessary. As you chase the goals and the future, don't forget to live now. Find a way to enjoy a little bit of the future now. Because that's actually living, instead of putting in the effort, waiting and just hoping for that one day.
I have a question based off of this beautiful piece whose subject I think about, often. How do you know you are making progress. Or what exactly is this person seeing as they follow you that convinces them? Is this ticking off to-do lists? is this watching that coursera course? LinkedIn posts? What is it exactly?
Progress is largely subjective. To start with, I'm not sure there's a way to measure progress if you don't have set goals. That's very important.
Now, to put it very simply, how you know you're making progress is by comparing your current state to your ideal state (if that makes any sense). Usually, we all have goals. We have things we'd like to become in two, three or more years. And, very many times, we know exactly what to do to get there.
How closer you get to your set goals determines your progress. If someone follows you around for one week, knowing what your goals are, your activities during that week will pretty much convince them if you're serious or not.
> And if I say I want an extraordinary life—extraordinary impact, influence, freedom—then shouldn’t my effort reflect that scale?
In most cases, extraordinary life, impact, influence, etc., isn't the product of exceptional effort. It's about luck meeting consistency or sometimes just pure luck. As much as it makes us feel better that where we are or where we want to be will be as a result of our effort, it's not always that way. So I think there should be a balance of working towards your goal while keeping the present in sight and enjoying it.
Heyyy, this does not mean I'm slothful or not serious. I do the things I need to do. I get my work done on time and with the level of excellence I can afford at that time. However, there's still this emptiness inside of me that swallows everything and makes me feel like I'm not doing enough.
Interestingly, when I sit down to assess this feeling of voidness inside of me, I realize maybe I'm not doing enough. Maybe it's just the bare minimum. Or maybe I've become so comfortable in my routine that I am now scared to try something different.
It bothers me. At the end of the day, after checking off over 90% of my to-do list for the day, I still feel frustrated. I feel there's more. I can do more. And like I'd always say, the leading cause of frustrations isn't that absence of potential, but unexplored potential. Knowing you could do more with your life, but you just can't do it brings you so much frustrations.
It's just like, as you have rightly put it, making loads of motion without moving-progressing.
Okay, maybe the issue is lack of lofty goals-something stellar and generationally profound. Maybe the problem is with my mind. Inability to see things beyond the present environment. It's a futile effort trying to explore the potentials your mind can't even see. It's difficult asking yourself to do more, when there's almost no reason to do more. The mind is small. The thinking is mediocre and very little. I don't see a way such body can do more.
Maybe that's the issue I have. I need to expand my mind. Enlarge my coast. Think bigger and more stellar. See outside the four walls of the present situation.
I think about this a lot. I keep saying I want this, I want that. But how badly?
Is my present way of life in alignment with the things I really want?
I'm definitely coming back to read this again. Thanks for this masterpiece, Oríadé 💜
They would not think I’m serious at all. I’m grievously lazy with my plans. This was in its own way a wake up call. Thank you?
you're welcome. ❤️
I think an idea that’s helping me put this into perspective is asking myself if whatever I’m doing is what I want for my life.
exactly. is this an investment into my dream life?
Your newsletter pretty much always aligns to how I feel in the moment. You’re a great writer.
Thank you!!!
As for your question, I’m in the transition phase of movement for motion to purposeful movement , and it’s tough, you have commitments to still fulfill although your heart isn’t there anymore
every moment we spend on the wrong thing is an investment into something that won't yield any desired result
I really enjoyed reading this lovely piece.
This brings me back to discussing the expectancy theory. The thing is at some point, we always end up trying to find external reasons for our efforts not matching up to our desires.
which is just pathetic
They would think I'm serious. They would think I need to take a break, in fact. They'd say I am overly critical with myself.
But it's the same kind of seriousness you're writing about here, one that doesn't really result in much progress. Just vengeful, obsessive, short-lived bursts of energetic working that's truly inconsistent and less valuable in the grand scheme of things.
This letter didn’t just make me think. It just inspired me to write. Thank you so much.
I literally wrote a post on LinkedIn about how I lived March intentionally, and hope to do so in the following months, but the vigour pretty much ended after writing it 🙂↕️This post is a reminder that “it’s not by mouth, ” and an invitation to reflect, then DO.
Lmao vigour ended after writing is wild
😭😭 intentional living is WORK
You have given me something to ponder on
Thank you.
❤️❤️
"But this reflection isn’t about guilt-tripping myself into burnout. It’s not about shaming myself into thinking I don’t do enough. It’s about alignment. About honesty. About asking, Is the way I live each day aligned with the future I keep saying I want?"
Balance is necessary. As you chase the goals and the future, don't forget to live now. Find a way to enjoy a little bit of the future now. Because that's actually living, instead of putting in the effort, waiting and just hoping for that one day.
I have a question based off of this beautiful piece whose subject I think about, often. How do you know you are making progress. Or what exactly is this person seeing as they follow you that convinces them? Is this ticking off to-do lists? is this watching that coursera course? LinkedIn posts? What is it exactly?
Progress is largely subjective. To start with, I'm not sure there's a way to measure progress if you don't have set goals. That's very important.
Now, to put it very simply, how you know you're making progress is by comparing your current state to your ideal state (if that makes any sense). Usually, we all have goals. We have things we'd like to become in two, three or more years. And, very many times, we know exactly what to do to get there.
How closer you get to your set goals determines your progress. If someone follows you around for one week, knowing what your goals are, your activities during that week will pretty much convince them if you're serious or not.
> And if I say I want an extraordinary life—extraordinary impact, influence, freedom—then shouldn’t my effort reflect that scale?
In most cases, extraordinary life, impact, influence, etc., isn't the product of exceptional effort. It's about luck meeting consistency or sometimes just pure luck. As much as it makes us feel better that where we are or where we want to be will be as a result of our effort, it's not always that way. So I think there should be a balance of working towards your goal while keeping the present in sight and enjoying it.
Oh wow, this is the most beautiful thing I've read this week.
It's a wake up call for me to fuel my fire and work harder towards achieng my goals.
Thank you🩷
Honestly? I'm not sure it does.
Heyyy, this does not mean I'm slothful or not serious. I do the things I need to do. I get my work done on time and with the level of excellence I can afford at that time. However, there's still this emptiness inside of me that swallows everything and makes me feel like I'm not doing enough.
Interestingly, when I sit down to assess this feeling of voidness inside of me, I realize maybe I'm not doing enough. Maybe it's just the bare minimum. Or maybe I've become so comfortable in my routine that I am now scared to try something different.
It bothers me. At the end of the day, after checking off over 90% of my to-do list for the day, I still feel frustrated. I feel there's more. I can do more. And like I'd always say, the leading cause of frustrations isn't that absence of potential, but unexplored potential. Knowing you could do more with your life, but you just can't do it brings you so much frustrations.
It's just like, as you have rightly put it, making loads of motion without moving-progressing.
Okay, maybe the issue is lack of lofty goals-something stellar and generationally profound. Maybe the problem is with my mind. Inability to see things beyond the present environment. It's a futile effort trying to explore the potentials your mind can't even see. It's difficult asking yourself to do more, when there's almost no reason to do more. The mind is small. The thinking is mediocre and very little. I don't see a way such body can do more.
Maybe that's the issue I have. I need to expand my mind. Enlarge my coast. Think bigger and more stellar. See outside the four walls of the present situation.
Maybe then, when I have a reason, I will do more.