Want to achieve your goals faster? I don't always recommend it

In my experience, going too fast is far more dangerous than going too slow.

Oh, you want to implement some new healthy habits?
Show what you can do at work?
Make meaningful progress on a passion project?

I will say it again: going too fast is far more dangerous than going too slow.

As a life coach, I see it time and again: we bite off an amount that seems reasonable. Heck, it seems like less than “lots of other people do every day”!

And yet – it’s too much. We can’t keep it up. We’re tired, we’re discouraged. Of course, if we want it enough, we’ll eventually pick it up again — but we’ve wasted so much time and energy in the drama, frustration, and meandering path. 

…

The crazy, not-said-enough thing is:

It takes discipline, to purposefully constrain yourself to a slower, truly sustainable pace.

In other words: It may feel frustrating and terrible, to go slowly. You’ll think: But I can do more! I have more in me! There’s fuel in the tank!

Yes. That’s exactly the point.

You need to have more than enough fuel on some days — so that on other days when your fuel is far less, you’ll still have enough. So you can avoid flaming out, on an empty tank, by the side of the road. (Or, less dramatically, watching TikTok instead of doing your newfound healthy habits, or working on your screenplay.)

Repeat after me: going too fast is far more dangerous than going too slow.

Slow will get you there every time, team.

…

As always, I’m rooting for you in the week ahead. You’ve got this.

Katie




p.s. Yes, this lesson is age-old. (See also: the tortoise and the hare.) But I find that many of us — me included —need a reminder, sometimes.

p.p.s. Would you like me to be your life coach? I specialize in working with people who are already pretty “together” in their lives — paying their bills, and meeting their commitments. But just because your life looks pretty good on paper, doesn’t necessarily mean that it feels right to you, from the inside out.  Learn more.

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An easier way to improve productivity

Here’s something I try to live by:

Anything worth doing is worth doing badly.

You know that project you’ve been meaning to work on more?
That person you’ve been meaning to talk to?
That exercise class you’ve been meaning to go to?

If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing badly.

I’m not against having standards, but so often we don’t actually do the friggin’ thing because we are afraid it will go… badly. Or weirdly. Or not-excellently.

If we write that novel despite feeling uninspired, it will be cringe-worthy.

If we say I’m sorry or I love you or I wish we talked more, it will be awkward to get the words out.

If we show up at the exercise class, we’ll barely be able to do 35%.

And yet:

Isn’t writing a cringe-worthy novel better than always wondering if we could?

Isn’t fumbling the words to “I miss you” or “we need to talk” better than letting those feelings stay unsaid?

Isn’t showing up and letting ourselves look sweaty and foolish better than…not?

Isn’t anything worth doing, worth doing badly?

So here’s my invitation for you, this week: What in your life is worth doing? Could you let yourself do it badly?

As always, you’ve got this. I’m rooting for you.

Katie

This is for when you don't feel like doing anything

Here’s something I’ve been reminding myself lately: Something is better than nothing.

Oh, I opened my internet browser to “quickly check something important” …. and now it’s 10 minutes later and I’m watching unnecessary YouTube videos?

Something is better than nothing. Ideally, I would’ve closed the browser eight minutes ago. But now is better than 30 minutes from now.

Oh, I thought I would just bake chocolate chip cookies without eating any dough … and now I’ve eaten eighteen spoonfuls?

Something is better than nothing. Ideally, I would never overdo it on cookie dough. But stopping now is better than eating ten more large spoonfuls in a weird haze.

Oh, I’m sitting down to write and I have nothing to say? 

Something is better than nothing. Ideally, I would always feel confident that I’m a great writer. But promising myself, “Your only job is to show up for 15 minutes; it doesn’t matter what you produce” is better than nothing (and can often lead to that solid hour of good writing).

Oh, I have no motivation to move my body today but know it would be good for my mood?

Oh, I don’t have enough money to max out my 401(k) and my emergency fund?

Oh, I have a goal, but I don’t have as much time and energy to pursue it as I’d like?  

In case you’ve forgotten:

Baby steps count.

Partial credit is real.

Something is better than nothing.

Did you like this essay? Sign up for my newsletter to get helpful + encouraging essays like this every other Sunday. It’s free! :) 

As always, you’ve got this. I’m rooting for you.

Katie

For when you're feeling like you aren't doing enough

I increasingly believe that one of the most important life skills you can cultivate is the Art of Partial Credit. 

Sure, you’ll feel fantastic when you do your entire, ideal morning routine,

Or when you follow your eating plan perfectly,

Or when you check everything off your to-do list.

But then something will happen. Something unexpected. And you won’t be able to perfectly follow your plans.

What do you do then? Will you give up on your plans and browse the internet while mindlessly eating cookies for breakfast?

Or will you go for partial credit?

I know you’ve got this. I’m rooting for you.

Katie