“Reduce My Effort By 98%…”

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Shared by Kristina Smedley

“Reduce My Effort By 98%…”

Reads a little note card that’s been sitting on my desk for the last 6 months.

It was given to me by the Program Leader of my Professional Coaching certification program as part of my personal development plan.

For the first few months, I would look at it and think, “Yeah right!”

I have big dreams. A desire to be impactful. To help people change their lives.

I’m not reducing my effort by 98%.

And why would I? I’m on a roll!

If I want to “win” in life, I need to be active and all in.
Not sitting back passively waiting for someone to make things happen for me or for a better time.

Passivity is not the key to winning!
Reducing my effort feels like being passive and just expecting good things to come my way.

It makes me think back to my high school volleyball team.

Our senior year we were on a roll, winning game after game and headed to the state tournament.

Somehow, this team of 5’9” girls and shorter was beating teams that towered over us.

We were beating teams with great fundamental mechanics and technique… with our scrappy play.

We were a tight team, were practicing hard, learning new plays, improving our skills.
Actively winning!

Can you imagine someone telling us to reduce our effort?!
No Way!

Absolutely no way!

Until just recently, that’s how I felt about reducing my efforts around building our business, getting a coaching certificate, excelling in my corporate job, spending time with my friends and family.

“I can make it all happen!
I have tremendous capacity and love everything I’m doing.
There’s no way I’m reducing my efforts.”

Until one day something clicked.

Pushing. Pushing. Pushing.
Fitting everything in.
Making it all happen.
Always.

Where was the space for listening?
For noticing?
For sensing what might be possible or starting to unfold?

What was I missing as I put 110% effort into everything and never slowed down?

Slowing down sometimes feels like being passive.
It feels like I’m missing out on actively engaging in my many opportunities and bringing them to life.

But what I’ve always mentally known, and am really feeling and understanding recently is that slowing down to listen is being active.

It’s allowing space and awareness. 
It enables new insights and connections. 
It allows life to unfold a little, rather than me pushing and forcing the next step.

It’s allowing what might be, be.
And that is a potential that we often can’t even imagine!

So, I’m finding ways to reduce some forced effort.
And instead, open myself to the larger world around me to gain further insight.

After all, I want the effort I do spend to be in the right area, where I’m meant to be, and able to be most impactful. The only way I’ll know is to stop forcing and start slowing down and listening.

This isn’t always easy.
It’s certainly an active practice to listen.
And it’s one I’m committed to continuing.

#CourageouslyListening

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