A Tale of Two Rabbits: Focus and Intentionality

Confucius said "a person who chases two rabbits, catches neither." You see, chasing and catching a rabbit is already difficult, and chasing and catching two is nearly impossible. When two rabbits go in two directions, you will need to ignore one or lose both, leaving you feel defeated.

The message: a clear decision is important. The rabbit conundrum highlights the challenge of feeling fulfillment in achievement in a multi-tasking world.  We exist a world that champions "parallel pathing" and being "multi-passionate" but these can be challenging if we're trying to get further, faster. 

How to use intention to focus on achieving your goal:   

1) Focusing on one goal can allow for you to make the life changes you need to achieve it.  Select one goal to work towards and make those changes realistic. 

• Instead of "losing 30 lbs" instead try "I'm going to drink 1/2 of my weight in ounces of water every day" or "I'm going to take all of my calls standing from my desk or walking."  Losing weight will be a byproduct of these habits, and once you begin to see momentum you will be more open to making more drastic changes.  

2) Become obsessed with the ritual of achieving your goal.  How and by when will you achieve it with realistic expectations?

• Instead of saying "I'm going to work out for :30 each day" try "I'm going to put my gym shoes on at 5:30am every morning and drink an 8oz glass of water" because once your shoes are on, the likelihood of you working out is probably higher than it was when you were laying in bed.    

3) Determine your reward along the way.  Yes- this the exciting part! Don't wait to reward yourself until you achieve what you want.  Determine milestones and treat yourself with something that is in service of the person you are trying to become. 

• Instead of rewarding yourself with donuts for working out every morning for a week, book a massage!  Your body will thank you for treating yourself to recovery and investing in self-care.
• Pro-tip: try "habit-stacking."  I only allow myself to watch television if I'm working out.  J'aime "Emily à Paris" and "Billions". (Any new recos? Send them my way!)

4) Choose to be 1% better every day.  Change takes time. In America we believe in life hacks for EVERYTHING. There is no shortcut to greatness. Micro-steps support consistent progress that can rewire your neuropaths along the way. 

• I am currently doing a 30 day pushup challenge that helps hold me accountable for consistent growth in my pushup game.  And, guess what? I "habit-stack" my pushups with my workout during my Netflix workout.  

5) Do not rely on motivation.  You must use discipline because motivation is fleeting as humans are conditioned to retreat to what is comfortable.  I am a big believer in the power of owning my calendar in order to stay on track with my goals.

• Instead of "I'm going to eat healthier," instead try "I will eat lunch between 12-1pm every day, away from my desk."  My lunch will include something green and I will listen to my favorite podcast while I eat.
• Before you roll your eyes and say "Stevi, I don't have time to step away for lunch," I would encourage you to think about phantom rules you or your work culture have adopted that no longer serve you and your goals and challenge them.  

WISe Wellness Guild is looking forward to a happy, healthy and focused 2022, supporting you along your whole-self wellness journey.   

Want to know where to get started? Take our FREE 100 Point Wellness Assessment™ to learn more about your wellness strengths and opportunities.