on being busy and personal successes

I started reading Success Intelligence, by Robert Holden, this morning – and I already know it will be sneaking into my blog posts frequently as I work my way through it.

I was reading about Busyness this morning, and what he refers to as the Manic Society and the Busy Generation. Have you noticed that it is becoming more and more common to ask “Are you busy?” instead of “How are you?” or “Are you doing well?”?

Hanging out with business people as much as I do, I have heard this a fair bit. I have asked it, I have responded to it. I have replied that yes, indeed, I am keeping busy!

Why are we so worried about keeping busy, though, and what is coming out of the busyness?

One of the exercises in the book this morning was to name 7 personal successes from the past week. Try it, for yourself, right now – it’s not easy, is it?

We spend a lot of time being busy, running here and there, but are we really accomplishing anything or are we just skimming over the surface of life, speeding ahead toward “success” and missing it in the present moment?

So I thought I would take a few minutes to write out 7 personal successes from the last week. And please add your own in the comments below! Let’s take a few minutes to stop our busyness and celebrate our successes.

7 Personal Successes from the past week (February 4-11)

1. Completed a project that has been ongoing for far too long (despite many reminders from myself to the other party!) and collected payment for said project.
2. Connected with a friend who I had previously felt somewhat intimidated by and discovered that there is no reason to feel intimidated, and in fact we may have more in common and a better connection that I thought. Had dinner with the same friend to discuss some social media options for her business.
3. Began the process of goal setting and planning with my partner Jon – we’ve done this individually before, but never together for a common goal.
4. Approached two bands about helping them promote themselves online – and was approached by one other – hmm, interesting niche being uncovered here?
5. Met with a local business man to discuss selling his products online (print cartridges) and brainstormed with Jon some interesting ways to market said products.
6. Took a “snow day” and stayed home from work for one full day (happened a bit accidentally, but was an excellent and much needed break and exercise in doing something that I thought I *shouldn’t* do!).
7. Finished reading Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck – awesome read! – and came out of it feeling inspired and ready to move forward to the next step.

That’s a fair bit for one week, and once I got going I could have continued the list. I just had to get started – and the first few did not come easy!

What are your personal successes from the last seven days?

Related posts:

1. Q & A: How to Keep Business and Personal Separate on Facebook?
2. when the going gets tough…
3. living in the moment
4. holy sh*t moments and learning to fly
5. filter questions and getting what i want