Would You Trade Places With Them?

Years ago, when I was first starting to do “work” with my therapist (as opposed to grief counseling, which is why I started going to her in the first place), she gave me two words that were life-changing.

So much so that I printed them in a large font and taped them to the front of my computer so I would see them every day.

It’s incredibly simple but also incredibly powerful.

Ready?

“Choose Awareness.”

This wasn’t about being aware of things outside of myself; it was about being aware of my responses, my reactions, or how something made me feel.

It’s something I’ve gotten pretty good at, so much so that it’s become an indicator for me.

If something triggers me, I know instantly that I’m out of alignment.

I’m more than likely:

Tired
Stressed
Frustrated (by the way, my therapist’s definition of frustration is the attempt to control something over which we have no control)
Worried

The second I connect the dots, I feel instant relief.

At the end of the day, it’s all my responsibility, isn’t it?

How I feel, how I respond, and most importantly, what I choose.

For example…

I’ve been talking a lot about focus lately and my commitment to myself (and hat tip to me, I’m staying the course).

Because of this focus, I’m very conscious of where I put my energy, not simply on tasks or the work I’m doing, but on what shows up in my life.

Emails, social media, and how I spend my non-working time.

I have two BIG goals that I’ve set for myself (this all comes back to the 10X is Easier than 2X book I keep talking about).

With the first BIG goal, I have no idea how it’s going to come to fruition (my goal is three years), and the other is a year from now.

And I have a pretty solid plan for making the second goal happen.

Because the first goal is SO big, I kind of can’t mess it up.

Meaning, I know I don’t know how to make that happen today, so I’m not in my head about the steps I need to take.

I heard a great quote this morning by Darren Hardy that reminds me of where I need to place my attention:

“Never take advice from someone you wouldn’t trade places with.”

In order for me to reach the goals I’ve set for myself, I need to do things differently.

It’s easy to get lost in the sea of “sameness” that the internet can be.

But there are also millions and millions of other people you can follow, do business with, and model.

Step outside of the same circles you’re in.

Listen to a new podcast, find some new YouTube channels to follow…

Decide on how you want to feel and go all in.

Finding people, books, and content that inspires me is fuel for me.

It doesn’t derail me; it keeps me on my path.

One newsletter and person I follow and never miss is P.J. Milani.

He writes the I.D.E.A. Visual Newsletter.

Here’s one of his images from today’s issue:

Pretty powerful, isn’t it?

The one-dimensional image on the left represents EVERYTHING your work includes:

People you engage with
What you’re subscribed to
The work you focus on
What you consume

My suggestion to you is to find one or two people to follow, subscribe to, listen to, or engage with that are outside of the “sameness” of the space you’re in.

Follow and model people who are where you want to be or who inspire you to be more of YOU.

And as a reminder, this doesn’t mean your BIG goals are specifically income-driven or income-based (although the more you earn, the more impact you can have).

It can be: