D5 – All Distractions Are Equal

To me, fighting back means being more intentional about my time and my attention. In just the first four days of this experiment, I have already noticed how easily I get pulled off the path of my future. Most days, I’ll sell my goals to the devil for a good show on Netflix or an ice cream cone. It’s interesting that on one day there is a goal I want so bad that I can feel it in my bones, but the very next day it feels hard and I want to take a nap instead of doing the work.

Most people think that a promise + a good excuse for not keeping it = the same as producing the result. IT’S NOT. Every day, we let distractions like family drama, health problems, laziness and crises rule our days and determine what we focus on. These distractions may be things that are critical and important–unlike lesser things like phone calls, interruptions and poor planning–however, ALL DISTRACTIONS ARE EQUAL. If it takes you away from your goals, it is still keeping you focused on the wrong things. Think about it: how many times does something happen to a family member and then that incident takes us off track for a week. Even though the event was just one day long, we milk it for a week and use it as an excuse for why we aren’t focused. This is just another way we lie to ourselves. Where you spend your time reflects what you are committed to–100$%–NO EXCEPTIONS. No matter what excuse we use, if we fail to keep our promises, it’s because the promise is NOT a priority.

Today, I’m working on eliminating distractions, from junk email to television to chores that waste more of my time than they are worth. A perfect example of this is ironing shirts. I can take these to the cleaner and save myself a couple hours a week and it will only cost me $10-15. “Outsourcing” the things that don’t take my talent or personality is crucial if I want to work smarter and be more efficient.

The more “awake” and intentional I become in my life, the more shocked I am at how ineffective I’ve become in some areas of my life. It’s no wonder I’ve been stuck at my 85 pound loss for almost 2 years. I’m learning lessons about how I use distractions to avoid being responsible for my goals. Getting your goals is HARD WORK some days and it takes sheer will and determination to push through. This is fighting back. Every minute. Every day. Taking my life back and making it my own.