Discipline + Accountability = Freedom
Ah, the idea of spontaneous time, an unscheduled life. Do you think that sounds delightful? You might want to think again. The more planning you do, the more freedom you can actually have.
We assume that there is a negative connection between these two ideas. More discipline results in less freedom. We think planning hampers our creativity, so we resist.
This sounds logical, but it’s false.
Wandering around with no clear destination may work well for weekends or unstructured vacation time, but it’s not going to help you achieve your goals during your work week. While discipline and freedom sound like complete opposites, they are really allies in the battle for productivity. We all say we want freedom but the only way to achieve any level of freedom is through structure and discipline.
True freedom comes from developing discipline
Setting boundaries for yourself enables you to develop the discipline that will give you the true freedom you crave.
If you want financial freedom, you can’t spend all of your money. You have to save some of it. The same goes for time. If you want more of it, you need to implement a realistic time management system. And if you want your business to grow so you can earn the money you need to live the life you want, you’re going to have to use your time wisely to achieve this.
Moving forward this year you will have the opportunity to put some things back on your plate as you adjust post-pandemic. Remember that the more you pile on your plate, the less you’ll actually do. It’s like filling your plate at the buffet but not eating all the food because you can’t see what’s underneath your overpacked plate.
Having lots of options creates an illusion of freedom but actually limits what we can do. It adds to our cognitive load and we end up spending more time deciding what to do rather than doing the things we want.
We all face the same constraint of 24 hours days
Regardless of the number of choices we have, we all face the same constraint of 24 hours days. Left to your own devices, you’d probably waste a lot of time and lose productivity. One of the best mental disciplines is to create a schedule of tasks and actually execute it.
I know planning might not sound like the most exciting thing you can do, but it clarifies your priorities and will ultimately lead you to the freedom you long for. Writing it down and committing frees up your brain to think about more of what you want to think about.
Planning is key
A key skill in planning is prioritizing. This can enable you to take control of how you spend your time and ensure that you are actually achieving freedom rather than just the feeling of it. As more and more distractions creep into our options, we must learn to prioritize diligently.
Setting up a system of rewards and consequences can also help you stay accountable. It’s important to know ahead of time what your accomplishment will yield. Similarly, you also need to realize what you might not get if you don’t reach your intended goal.
Learn to say no
You also have to learn to say “No” to things that eat up your time with no payback - screen time, doing tasks you could easily delegate, or any “shoulds” or self-inflicted obligations that aren’t really necessary.
Self-awareness is another huge factor when it comes to planning. If we are more aware of what tasks we have to do and how much time we need to complete those tasks, there’s a better chance of realistically achieving our plan.
There is a middle ground, a harmony where setting boundaries and clarifying the necessary tasks allows you to reap benefits from your labors.
By setting some rules for yourself, you can create a framework that builds habits.
Having an accountability group is a proven way to stop resisting, prioritize goals and execute the necessary steps to achieve them. Read more about my Path of Action Accountability program here.
P.S. Ready to stop spinning in place and get to the other side of your goals? Here are several ways I can help:
Download my free weekly planning guide - it will help you become more intentional with your time, develop a clear action plan for your week, and ensure that you are focusing on activities that will move your business forward - Download Now
Join our next CEO Power Planning Session and spend two and a half hours ON your business. During this facilitated workshop, you’ll set and prioritize your next 12-week goals, break them down into an executable action plan and create a resource plan - Join the Wait List
Apply for the next Close the Gap Program and stay on track to achieve your most important goals. 1:1 support and guidance on prioritizing goals, creating a plan and putting structure and routines in place. Then 12 weeks of group support around execution - Apply today