Fear is the enemy of creativity and innovation and of starting things.
Seth Godin
Some years ago I read a book called “The Tyranny of the Urgent” in an effort to focus. The fundamental principle of this book was resisting the urgent to remain focused on the important. This task is more difficult today than at any period of my life, because mobile connectivity has erased the line between urgent and important.
Reading Seth Godin’s short piece about the conservation of mental bandwidth gave me insight into managing the confusion. What I fear doing is likely to be important. What I find easy to do is likely to be urgent.
I take the urgent phone call because it is easier than saying no and focusing on the important item in front of me. Distraction is pleasurable respite from the difficult thing I need to do but want to avoid.
This lead me to a simple conclusion. I must examine those items I am afraid to start and finish. The items on this list likely to be the most important. Regardless of what happens in life this important list cannot be compromised.
Looking forward into the future of our work at Digital Scribbler and E-Soccer we must focus on the important, so more people will receive the help they desperately need. Giving in to the fear of the important to work at the emotionally easy task of the urgent feels good today, but will leave many miserable for a lifetime.
Time to let go of the fear and become focused on the important.
