Chris Guillebeau's Self-Discovery Lesson of Learning to Focus What Really Matters
Happy Victoria Day! I hope you are enjoying this beautiful Monday of the long weekend.
For me, this holiday weekend has been a wonderful time for relaxing and having fun with family and friends. Due to the summer weather, we all had to get outside and be inspired by the beautiful surroundings.
The long weekend is a welcome break in our schedules. Spending quality time with those who matter in one’s life is valuable.
Often, we can become so busy and distracted in our daily lives that we lose sight of our life goals. To help us refocus and gain clarity, though, we need reminders like holidays or hearing the personal stories of mentors.
Therefore, I thought it would be fitting to share some inspiring words from one of my favourite entrepreneurs and community builders.
Today, Chris Guillebeau, the New York Times best-selling author of The $100 Startup, is sharing his record-worthy practice with all of us. During a lifetime of self-employment, Chris visited every country in the world (193 in total) before his 35th birthday. Each summer in Portland, Oregon, he hosts the World Domination Summit, a gathering of creative, remarkable people. Connect with Chris on Twitter, on his blog, or at your choice of worldwide airline lounges.
Chris is a mentor to me. Hear his inspiring interview with Jonathan Fields (The Good Life Project) about how his process.
Wherever you are today, whether on holiday or not, you can always learn and improve your skills. I encourage you to sit back, put away your distractions for a few minutes, and focus on your life vision.
Chris suggests:
“My record-worthy practice is deciding exactly what to do before sitting down to work. I’m a writer and spend at least seven hours a day looking at a computer screen, but before I log on each morning, afternoon, and evening, I take a few moments and write down the specific tasks I hope to accomplish in the next session. I write these tasks down by hand in a paper notebook—and then I turn on the computer and get to work. In doing this, I make sure to focus on what really matters instead of just responding to whatever jumps out at me through email, social media, or any other modern firehose.
“I’m not always consistent with this practice. There are plenty of times that I fire up the laptop and then get lost in low-value tasks with no clear focus. But that’s why it’s my record-worthy practice. When I take the time to do it, I set records. :)”
Thank you, Chris, for sharing your thoughts with us. Your practice really resonated with me. It reminded me about the importance of staying true to one’s personal mission, in the small daily tasks as well as in the larger life goals. It can help us stay on track towards our personal dreams, rather than those of others. Great help, Chris! Powerful thoughts to reflect on as we begin the week!
How do you focus on what really matters in your life? When life is so busy, how do you gain clarity and make sure you are staying on track of achieving your personal goals? Add your thoughts below.
Thank you for reading and your presence at this beach retreat. You Rock! I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section below.
See you at the beach!