I’ve been such a slacker about my weekly emails this summer – and I’ve enjoyed it so much!
Oh, at first I beat up on myself.
- “People are counting on you, Chris!”
- “This is part of running your business. Get on it!”
- Or even that old standby, “Loser!”
But the truth is, I wanted to be a slacker. I wanted to let go of assumptions and obligations. After 10 years and nearly 500 articles, I wanted to shift my priorities and see what would happen. (More on that in a minute.)
Notice I did not say I needed to be a slacker, though doing so would have evoked far more understanding from my you. I could have even added a sprinkle of “feeding my soul” or “being with my family” to evoke admiration for the great way I was caring for myself.
But the truth is, I didn’t need it, I chose it. Is that audacious? Selfish? Presumptuous? (As in, “My, aren’t you Mister-Big-Shot-Too-Big-For-His-Britches! They want ice in hell, too, but I don’t see anyone volunteering to deliver it!”)
Choosing what is right for you, without really, really ne-e-e-e-eding it, may feel self-indulgent, but what it is, is this: responsible. Taking personal responsibility for your life means knowing and doing what is right for you, without need to justify it or gain other’s approval.
It’s also a HUGE relief for everyone else! After all, its a big snooze-fest to listen to someone justify their every move. No one else wants to be responsible for giving you permission or convincing you that you “should” do what you want to do. Its boring and tedious. (I know, it also works, right?)
But when you let go of the need to need it before you can do it, you lay your hand on the rudder of your own life and begin to steer it where you want to go.
Oh, you’ll make mistakes, change your mind and sometimes wish you had chosen differently, but that’s OK. Choose again – and again. You’ll get better at it. And soon enough, you will be choosing your life, moment by moment.
My slacker move was an undeniable success. I did more work, more effectively, than I have done in years. It renewed my energy, shifted my focus, and re-calibrated my thinking. Saying I needed to take this break may have justified it to others, but it would have robbed me of the sense that I decided, I chose, I took the risk.
Hand on the rudder, choosing our lives, moment by moment, mistakes and all. Big risk. Big pay-off. Rich life.
