If You Want To Make Better Progress, Try Slowing Down”

When it comes to trying to make progress on the things we care about and we’re not seeing the results we want, there’s a common limiting belief that we need to Do More, Do It Faster, Push Harder.

And while there’s a nugget of truth in that action leads to results, it’s just not the whole story.

The “How” you do something, aka the energy you bring to the situation, matters just as much.

To optimize results in every aspect of life, we need:

Clarity
Energy
Intention

In other words, mindset matters and more effort doesn’t always mean progress.

Here are some common pitfalls that go with “I should do more” thinking:

Anxiety: “How will I ever get where I’m supposed to be?”

Fear: “If I don’t create what I want here, I won’t be okay in life.”

Insecurity: “I’m not doing enough; there must be something wrong with me.”

Overwhelm: “I never have enough time to get it all done.”

The antidote to this destructive thought pattern is to step into a mindset where intentionality rather than “doing more” becomes the goal.

What do we become intentional about?

Genuine Self Directed Motivation – Choosing to do what aligns with what most matters in your core vs. conforming to outside norms or conditioning. Inquiry: “What do I really want and why do I want it?”

Tapping Into Your Intuition – Slowing down just enough to ground yourself and feel into other possible paths forward. Inquiry: “What am I thinking feeling and believing in this moment?”

Sustainability – Engaging in activities and routines that you can sustain because you enjoy doing them and thus naturally want to keep doing them. Inquiry: “How have I been looking at this situation and what are some different ways I could approach it?”

Something Is Better Than Nothing – When feeling resistance, slowing down to do just one thing is an effective way to create momentum. Inquiry: “Am I stuck in an “all or nothing” mindset?” “What would it look like to move one step forward in the best way?”

For more on the power of mindset on our health and happiness listen to this week’s podcast: Why Living Consciously Is Key To Our Well being – With Possibility Mindset Coach, Ken Hannaman