A little while ago, I was thinking about how I go about life. Generally, it’s fast! I am by no means a sprinter; however, I tend to approach most things in life as if they are a sprint. “Quick, quick, quick” is a common phrase I use, particularly with my kids, even when they do not need to be particularly quick at whatever they are doing. The exercise I choose to do is fast-paced, the tasks I gravitate towards first on the list are the quick things, and there is always a lot of action jam-packed into my daily schedule. My eternal optimism means I squeeze things in even when I really cannot, sometimes deluding myself that I will find a way to make it happen. Fast-paced action gets my adrenalin running, and truthfully, I love it. Until I realise that it is limiting my impact.
When I think about my personal impact, I think about what I can do rather than what I can be. I measure my impact by the length of my work list and the pace at which I can churn through it. It’s about getting it done, and preferably quickly. For full disclosure, I am impatient, but I don’t think it is this virtue that has me preferring fast over slow.
At times, I measure my impact by quantity and not quality. Surely the more I can churn through, the more I will achieve. But no. It is at the point that I realise that I am just spinning the wheels, that I know I am doing and not being and this reduces my impact.
When I am mindful about increasing my impact, something shifts, and I click into a different way of thinking. It feels better. I know that when I slow down in all aspects of life, I am being rather than just doing. I give myself time to read, rest and nurture my mind and body so it can run but only when it needs to.
Reflecting on my own impact is about prioritising pauses and reflection moments so I can increase my impact on myself and others. It’s about being honest with myself when I am just doing rather than being. And it’s about accepting that I will always naturally prefer fast over slow, but that I am giving myself the freedom to practice a more impactful approach daily.
“No rhetoric- Live by what I teach and coach.”
This note is stuck to my screen because I need a reminder to ensure that I am maximising my impact on myself and others. I am a work in progress, and I prefer this mindset. This helps me to find opportunities that enable me to increase my impact.
What do you do to maximise your impact?
Rita Cincotta writes, mentors, and speaks on individual and team performance, leadership development, resilience and new ways of working. She works with organisations to develop human centred solutions that help people and businesses to thrive.