I’ll admit it. I’ve been guilty of trying to be all things to all people. I’ve responded to any inquiries that came my way and my past is full of “shiny objects.” But earlier this year I had a mindset shift. I realized I needed to narrow my scope. Limit the field. Focus on an industry of people with shared interests — the outdoors industry. Then I got an email from a colleague and subscriber who said she needed to get back to her center.
Now that’s the ticket! She put words to the music.
So I wonder if you’ve been feeling it too — the need to get focused, to leverage your resources and concentrate your efforts like a laser beam? Perhaps you’re feeling scattered — drawn in a million different directions, not sure which is the best path to choose.
How to Get Back to Your Center
If you’d like to get back to your center also, here are seven ways to do just that:
- Avoid “Imposter Syndrome” which can intrude into your life surreptitiously and keep you from reaching your goals. It’s where we fool ourselves into thinking we’re not good enough to get what we deserve. Or you may believe it’s only a matter of time before one day you’ll be found out. “It’s estimated that 70% of people will experience at least one episode of this phenomenon at some point in their lives.” If you wonder whether you have Imposter Syndrome, read this article to see if you fall into one of these five types: the perfectionist, the expert, the natural genius, the soloist, the super-person. Once you’re aware that you harbor this belief, use some strong self-talk to convince yourself that Imposter Syndrome can only do you harm and will keep you from concentrating on the important work that will fulfill your life.
- Establish limits to make a “forced choice” — a proven technique to focus on what’s most important. Just like X (Twitter) limits you to 140 characters, a bio might allow only 100 words, or a personality assessment will make you choose between just four possible answers, narrowing the field requires you prioritize. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by too many options. Sometimes we think more is better, when it’s really the opposite.
- Eliminate commitments that aren’t contributing to your core. Just like a writer makes his story stronger by cutting extraneous words and phrases, we shouldn’t be afraid to prune. I recently decided to step off the board of a worthy organization so I’d have the mental “space” to focus on other things. While the board didn’t take that much of my time, it didn’t contribute to my overall plan for the future. I’ve mentioned before, one of my favorite quotes is by Coco Chanel who said, (and I’m paraphrasing) “It’s in the act of deciding what to remove that you place value on what’s left behind.” What’s left behind is space for the right things to come into the void.
- Get back to basics. Ask yourself, what made up the foundation of your business, work or life back in the day? What did you enjoy the most? What were you known for? Perhaps it’s time to resort back to the “tried and true” in order to feel more fulfilled. Try this: create an “Energy Wheel” — a pie shaped image which you segment into areas of your life that take up your energy (not necessarily just your time). Then identify things that take your energy but contribute little value and do your best to remove or shrink them.
- Be aware of the impact others may have on you. Don’t let their words or silence sway you. We can be overly influenced in one direction or another, especially by people we like and respect. But you know in your gut which path is the better one for you at this point. Go with your gut.
- Specialize in order to create a reputation for something people will remember. Specialize so you can build expertise that exceeds what most others will offer. It will help you differentiate yourself from the pack. It will help you niche yourself so you’re not just one of many. You may alienate some in the process, but you’ll attract like-minded folks much more easily.
- Leverage strengths. We can’t be good at everything no matter how hard we might try. You’ve been given certain gifts that, whether they come easily or you have to work at them, result in successful outcomes on a consistent basis. This doesn’t mean you avoid stretching to try new things, but do rely on those strengths to expand your horizons.
Getting back to our center means to simplify — to remove the “clutter” in our lives so we can concentrate on what’s essential. I’ve recommended this book in the past, but if you haven’t checked it out yet, consider getting Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown for “making the highest possible contribution toward the things that really matter.”
Consider this quote from Steve Jobs:
“That’s been one of my mantras — focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”
In closing, are you in the throes of getting back to your center? What approaches have you used? What results have you achieved? Let us know in the comments below.
Follow Up Questions to Ponder:
- What excites you? What would you do regardless if you were paid for it or not?
- When you’re in the outdoors, when you relax, to where does your mind wander?
- If you could choose five areas to focus on in your life, what would they be?
More Quotes:
“Our life is frittered away by detail…simplify, simplify.” —Henry David Thoreau
“You are a product of your environment. So choose the environment that will best develop you toward your objective. Analyze your life in terms of its environment. Are the things around you helping you toward success — or are they holding you back?” —W. Clement Stone
“Immerse yourself in the outdoor experience. It will cleanse your soul and make you a better person.” —Fred Bear