I’ve set many goals in the past that I’ve reached. And I’ve set many goals that I seem to continuously reset year after year. What makes the difference between the two? For me, it has to do with Mindset and the interplay of two key qualities: Effort & Ease.
Over the years, I’ve found that focusing on more Ease brings me closer to my goals. In fact, often it is Ease – not Effort – that is most lacking in my goal setting and achieving process. Below are some thoughts on Effort & Ease, and how they show up in work and our personal lives:
EFFORT:
There are times I need more action. More activity. More movement. My mind needs new projects, and I thrive on the joy of activity, effort and the rewards it brings. I enjoy work, the connections made, and the challenge it offers. Effort inspires me. From watching athletes, to reading about role models, to watching my clients and their teams achieve amazing things – it brings me great joy.
I’m most inspired when the Effort and challenge are great. When it feels impossible. When feats of individual strength and perfected teamwork are needed to break through the challenge. Effort is what builds individual and organizational resilience. There will always be a need to push. There will always be a time to strive. There will always be a requirement to put forth Effort. Life demands this, and our individual and collective responses to this demand can be deeply moving
and inspiring.
I can get stuck in Effort though. Too much Effort and I start to feel overwhelmed. I hurry and scurry to get things done, but my outcomes struggle and stagnate. Too much Effort, and I’ll stifle my own creativity. Eventually, I’ll even lose perspective – which negatively impacts my decisions. In these moments, I need breathing room. Space. Reflection. That’s when the need for Ease arises.
EASE:
Sometimes I need less action. More listening. More quiet. This need shows up at work in these ways: I feel antsy. Stressed. Overwhelmed. Constantly running. No time to breathe between projects. And, when there is a miraculous free moment in my calendar: my tendency is to fill it – quickly.
This is me stuck in Effort.
The challenge is, that in these moments, the notion of me stopping my Effort feels crazy. Slowing down is anathema to the world I am living in and creating. In these moments, my mind tells me that things will fall apart, projects will fail, and my work world will unravel if I don’t maintain the pace and speed at which I’m moving. My mind tells me that more Effort is my only choice.
When I’m in this headspace, I’ve learned the most important thing I can do is to put my Effort towards creating Ease.
At work, the first step of creating Ease looks like this: claiming strategic time and space for myself to brainstorm and/or sit and reflect. I’ll drive to my favorite coffee shop, or if pressed for time, find a well-lit chair with access to a window amidst a sea of cubicles. The location doesn’t matter – my focus and commitment to the quiet space does. In this moment, my attention is strongly focused on connecting with my physical sensations and exterior surroundings. I breathe. I connect. I claim my quiet.
Ease provides me the physical, emotional and mental benefits of stress relief. It also provides me increased creativity and motivation. It inspires innovation and problem-solving, and enhances my decision-making through increased clarity. It also aligns my intentions and values with my actions. Ease is the ability to “clear the clutter” and to claim the relief and insights that arise from the release of that “clutter”.
How do you step into Ease? What’s your process?
We’d love to hear from you – comment below and share your thoughts with us and others.
All the best,
Woodrie & The Team
