We often like to pretend that with a little bit of meditation and extra vacation time we can make life slow down a little bit. Each day brings new challenges. New stress. New demands on your time, money, and emotional energy.
It’s natural to want to be able to take a break. It’s ordinary to wonder how much better life could be if it weren’t moving so quickly. Sometimes you’re left wondering what you’re missing because of how busy you are and how stressful your life is at times.
The hard truth is that life does not get any slower.
There is no rewind, pause, or half-speed options when it comes to moving from where you are to where you want to be. There is only “life”. And life moves it at one speed — full speed ahead. There is no “slow” only ”go”.
Every day business and personal lives collide together in a massive combustion of disruption, panic, opportunity, and challenge. You’re presented with opportunities to improve, empower and improvise.
Sometimes you can see what’s coming and being prepared. Other times, you are left only with your wits, your instinct, and not enough experience. And it’s all a blur — seeming you needing to pass you by.
You can’t run much faster than you already are right now.
That’s another harsh reality. What you’re doing right now is about as much as you can ever do. Maybe you could improve by 10% or 25% or even 100%. But the faster you try to run, the more you realize how fast time flies. The more you try to do, the more there is to do.
You can’t do much more. You can be more efficient. You can try to be more effective. You can apply focus, best practices, and “work smarter”. But at the end of each day, time moves on. And you’re left clutching your sides, gasping for air, wondering if you can keep up the pace just one more day.
Deep down you know you can’t get any faster. And you just want life to slow down so that you can enjoy it on your terms.
But maybe that’s the problem. Maybe life isn’t meant to be paced.
Maybe life is meant to remind us that what we do matters. Maybe the stress we feel is a reminder that each of our choices has consequences. That we determine our attitude and focus and determination despite what is going on around us.
Slowing down is just an illusion. Life doesn’t slow down or get any easier. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get to where you want to be. That doesn’t mean you can’t be happy and healthy in spite of the busyness you feel.
- If you love what you do each moment is a delight — no matter the effort required.
- If you love who you are then you have the best company in the world.
- If you love those around you then you are less selfish and bitter — you’re a better you.
Being busy is just a distraction from doing what matters.
So what if life is a blur. You can do what matters. And you decide that. No one else. You get to choose each choice. That doesn’t require life slowing down for you. That only requires a little bit more focus. Less complacency. More passion.
So live with purpose. Lead with passion. Long for a better life.
Everything else doesn’t matter. So let it be a blur as you move confidently towards what matters.
SEE ALSO: How To Overcome The Tough Road To Success