There are too many options these days. Too many movies on Netflix, too many choices on restaurant menus, and too much noise which is pulling you in any and all directions in life, leading to overwhelm and inaction.
Today I’m cracking the code on how to deal with overwhelm in a noisy world, and how to focus to get ahead.
I’ll be the first person to admit that it’s hard to stay on track in your life right now. While you may have more access to everything, you’re more disconnected.
And while you may have the most opportunities at your fingertips, that’s the same reason you don’t know what you want.
It’s truly a double-ended sword.
It’s a noisy world, everyone is telling you to do something different.
Go on YouTube, create an email list, start a side hustle, become a full-time entrepreneur, follow your passion, and chase money, all at the same time.
No wonder why you’re having a tough time figuring out what you want to do!
If I could sum up all of the effects of what I’ve previously talked about in one word it would be - overwhelm.
Too many people are telling you different things which are holding you back.
With that all being said, how do you know what to do?
How do you know who to trust?
While I must say, I am thankful and love the technology-driven world we live in today.
Never has there been a better time to launch a business, start your own thing, and do really whatever you want!
The reason it’s even possible for me to reach you right now is because of the benefits of technology and the internet.
My business is run from an online portal, giving me access to the world. And the world access to me.
But, with that all being said, it’s hard to know what to do next. It’s hard for me to know exactly where I should put my focus to.
And I’m sure it’s the same for you.
People tell me all of the time that they don’t have time.
24 hours isn’t enough to do everything!
They’re right…
24 hours isn’t enough.
That’s why you don’t want to do everything and that’s exactly what’s holding you back from real progress - trying to do it all.
One of the main issues with today’s noisy world is that you’re trying to do it all.
You’re trying to do it all in one day…
Not going to happen.
Successful people who drive consistent results daily, know that by focusing on what matters each day, they’ll reach their goals sooner.
Not by focusing on everything, not by focusing on more, but by focusing on what REALLY matters.
Olympians are known for being the best of the best. The top athletes in the world. These people train for years and years to call themselves the best, and still, only a small percentage of them will make it.
They don’t achieve this greatness overnight, and they surely don’t achieve it by doing 25 different things a day.
Consistently showing up, day after day, and practicing their craft gets them the results over time.
Listening to coaches and mentors to help them improve and get a tiny bit better each week.
When I get into something new like a hobby or sport, I go all in. I put a lot of time and effort into honing my skills and practicing all of the time.
Some of the hobbies I love doing are snowboarding in the winter and riding my motorcycle at the track in the summer. I limit the number of hobbies and activities I do and have because I know how much time and money goes into each one.
I get asked by friends/colleagues all of the time why I don’t have other hobbies around here like mountain biking.
The truth is I want to limit my focus on what I’m doing. I want the best gear, equipment, and experience in what I’m doing. And if I were to try and do it all, this wouldn’t be the case.
I started to understand this several years ago, that I needed to have a narrow focus on not only my work but the hobbies I enjoy day to day.
Try and follow a similar approach if you can. While I’m not saying you need to stop doing half of the things you do now but see what you love doing the most, and put more effort into those.
If you want to be great at something, you need to be all in. Being all in requires you to do fewer things more often and more consistently.
Being overwhelmed can be debilitating. It can stop you dead in your tracks from getting important things done.
As of 2022, there are more than 51 million YouTube channels. 51 million people telling you to do something their way.
But, are there 51 million people that have done what they’re claiming? No.
This is where it’s tricky for you.
It’s hard to know who to trust. It’s hard to know who’s real versus who’s fake.
The online world is filled with so much spam, so much bad content, and so many people that are in it to make a quick buck.
This makes it extremely difficult for you to get ahead. Why?
Because in your search to get healthy and workout, you’re confronted with millions of options. Millions of people have done it differently.
And not everyone is an expert.
Listening to everyone is a poor path to choose.
You must be careful of who you give your attention to, and who you see as the expert.
Ideally, you want to only listen to people that have actually accomplished what you are trying to do prior. If they haven’t, move on.
There’s too much noise and too much to choose from to hear it all.
If you like a certain person's content, view, and authenticness, stick with them and listen to what they say.
Otherwise, move on.
You may be dealing with some serious procrastination problems these days from the endless options and distractions bombarding you daily.
Life’s busy, and if you don’t narrow your focus, stop trying to do everything, and listen to the experts, you’ll have a tough time getting ahead.
Overwhelm sucks. It’s holding back so many people from getting ahead and doing what they love, don’t let this be you.
Chris M Wilson
Chris Wilson is a keynote speaker, CTI coach, and entrepreneur. Through his Hover to Fly framework, he aims to impact the next generation in their careers and lives.