Cynthia Lou.

Write it down, check it off!

Getting a lot done is all about Eliminating Friction and having Flexible Focus.

Eliminate Friction

Eliminate friction – take all the drama and procrastination out of taking action, so that everything you do is calm, clean and drama free.

I have been helping my bf’s niece with college financial aid. Filling out applications, sifting through programs, pairing program options with what she likes and how she likes to interact with the world, and generally navigating a sea of choices. I think she’s going to be very successful because she is drama-free about assessing her options and taking action.

A lot of times I see entrepreneurs get caught up in “oh what if I do this….”, “will I miss out on that….”, “but 10 years from now I may not want to do ____”, and so on and so forth. All of this subtle drama equals no results, because action is either scattered or non-existent.

Friction is defined as anything that impedes your NEXT STEP. Not the whole path, but just the next few steps.

Friction can come from the paradox of choice, the idea that when we perceive we have too many options we are paralyzed. Too many options, and we don’t make a decision.

Friction can come from subconscious limitations. Ever notice that some people, in spite of themselves, seem to yo-yo through high’s and low’s of success? Things could be going really well, then bam! Something goes horribly wrong and sets them back several steps.

If we don’t clear out those underlying anchors, those limiting beliefs, the subconscious mis-alignments, we will get jerked back time and time again until we learn to unhook them before moving forward.

When eliminating friction, be sure to eliminate both internal friction (emotional baggage, unforgiven injustices, indecision, doubt, low self-esteem) and subconscious friction (limiting beliefs, negative anchors).

Here are a few tools to use to eliminate friciton:

INTERNAL
- Get clear on your values and mission. Once you know what you’re about, what you stand for, everything else more easily falls to the wayside.
- Journal
- Meditate

SUBCONSCIOUS
- Use EFT, PSYCH-K, Trinfinity8, or some other method or release underlying subconscious blocks.
- Meditation

Flexible Focus

Just as reeds can withstand strong winds because they are flexible and pliable, and soft water in a stream can cleave through rocks, being flexible with your focus will allow you to channel your energies to where they make the most impact and bring the greatest results.

Sometimes I find myself trying to force a work situation, or force myself to work using my old slave-like techniques. I would get resentful of the work, the clients, and my work did not reflect my best ability.

At the daily level, I’ve learned to make decisions after taking a step back, realigning with my goals and values, and assessing my energy levels. Just as in cycling, where forcing a tired body to do a hard workout just because it’s written on the schedule can do more harm than good, sometimes the best thing to do for productivity is to take a break.

On a big picture level, I’ve rearranged the kind of work I do to be more in line with the kind of lifestyle I want to live, the values I’ve exposed and grown into, the contribution I want to make.

Rather than be resentful of the work I have to do, I find joy in the process and experience of my creations and collaborations.

These days my time is centered around mentoring young adults and new entrepreneurs, writing, reading and reviewing books, and researching and experimenting with various physical and mental strength training programs.

I used to fall into a self-guilting mood and wallow in the question, “Oh, why can’t I work as hard as I used to??” Back in the day I could run myself into the ground easily and with gusto! In college I had the full course load, full practice sessions, and two or three jobs. After college I worked my ass off in my jobs, with a voracious appetite to eventually take over the world.

But after years of not being able to watch a full movie because I would fall asleep in the first five minutes, and after not being able to do my best work because I’d get so bogged down in sheer tiredness, and after resenting the kind of work that I used to love and adore, I decided I wanted out. My ever obedient subconscious saw to it that I kept in line with that decision, which also meant that I was repelling potential work. However, I see it was definitely a good thing, as I needed to find the kind of work that was in line with what I am about NOW, the more mature me, rather than the mid-20s me.

It’s not really the hard work that I don’t like, it’s that the work wasn’t aligned with my values. I wasn’t in love with the PROCESS – I was in love with the result, but not the process.

And it’s the process that you need to fall in love with if you want sustained happiness.

As Russell Simmons says in his book “Do You!”, after you drive your fancy new car (or several fancy new cars!) around and bring it back to your garage, you realize that it can be a bit letdown after achieving the goal.

I love to throw myself into awesome events, circumstances, and creative endeavors. I do love giving so much into my projects that I can barely stay awake. But when the values are misaligned or I’m working towards an inaccurate (to my soul) goal, work sucks and I start to hate my life and everything in it and fall down into that downward spiral of guilt and doubt. Good work nourishes the soul. Bad work sucks you dry.

Flexible focus is about releasing the “shoulds” of your day, and focusing on what matters to you now. It’s about allowing your values and mission to change. It’s about assessing what you’ve got, and doing exactly what needs to be done – no more and no less.