** How to Do Hard Things

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How to Do Hard Things

By: Suzanne Falter-Barns

One of the harsh little realities of pursuing a dream is that sooner or

later, you're going to have to do some stuff you don't like very much. It's just

plain inevitable. Enter procrastination. Dread. Meltdown. Complete inertia.

But the prospect of doing the tough stuff doesn't have to stop you cold. To

that end, I've been teasing out some different ways you can keep going. Here

are a few of my favorites:

Play music. I learned this when I started running, or 'jogging' as we called

it back in the 70's. Clamping on the headphones made it go so much better.

Even today, as I pound the treadmill, it's just so much easier if I've got

country music videos playing along while I work out. In fact, I recently saw a

movie

in which a soldier talks about overcoming his fear and going into battle by

listening to heavy metal music piped into his helmet. Neurosurgeons, emergency

room docs, and others in high-pressure operating theaters often play lightly

upbeat, soothing music to keep stress under control as they work.

'Bookend it'. This is a phrase the 12-steppers wisely use for calling up a

supportive friend before AND after a tough task - just so you're accountable out

there to someone. Use the phone or email and make that connection. You'll be

less likely to procrastinate your way out of it.

Delegate. Got a task you just can't somehow do? I always have three or four

lurking around the edges of my desk, until the day I rise up and give it away.

Hire a local teenager, elderly person who wouldn't mind a little light work, a

family member, or even a local odd-jobs person to come in one day and give

you a hand with all or your 'hard stuff.' If the problem seems to be on-going,

hire a Virtual Assistant, from one of the on-line sources like AssistU.com.

This is a person you hire on an hourly basis, usually in some other part of the

country, who helps you electronically with all kinds of administrative needs.

If you can't afford to find help, buddy up with a friend and offer to do each

other's 'hard stuff' in an even swap.

Plan a big, juicy reward. We're talking one you seriously want - and the

nastier the task, the bigger the reward. If you must, combine this with

book-ending, to make sure you not only do the task, but reward yourself as well.

Dare yourself to not do it. Really imagine life without this particular task

completed. Then see what the consequences are. Truly dire? If not, maybe you

can actually drop the hard thing from your to-do list. On the other hand, will

you be disappointed? Will things just not seem right somehow? Better use that

image of disappointment to move your dream along.

Jump in, first thing. We tend to be fresher, and less conflicted, stressed or

distracted first thing in the morning (post-coffee, of course.) That's the

best time to seriously seize the day and do the hard thing. Success manuals all

preach doing it first, and they're right. It works.

Envision the goal. Is it 1000 new subscribers to your ezine? Is it a

potential big sale that will change your business, or leaving a job that will

help you

live your dream? Make a little note and park it somewhere that's frequently

in your line of site, such as a Post It on your computer screen. (You can word

it obscurely to protect your privacy in an open office environment.) By

keeping you attention on the big picture, you'll naturally get less hung up on

the

day-to-day small stuff.

Impose a temporary goal. One of my dreaded tasks is vocalizing, or exercising

my vocal cords every day in an effort to keep my singing voice in shape. Just

about the only motivator I've found that works is always having a small

performance just ahead - especially in times when I'm working on a long-term

project that doesn't 'need' my voice anytime soon. Knowing I have to perform,

even

at a dinner party, keeps me interested in staying in shape. Same would apply if

you want to work out on a regular basis. Find a charity fun run or walkathon

you can get yourself in shape for.

That should give you some fodder for facing the harsh realities of life, and

getting on with those annoyingly procrastinated to-do's. Feng Shui experts

insist this 'mental clutter' keeps us small and inefficient; once we actually go

through the hard stuff, and clear out our anxiety and procrastination, we

thrive.

And guess what? They're absolutely right!

TRY THIS:

Create a better to-do list

One of my little projects for the summer was to tame my unruly, wildly

unreliable to-do list. Somehow it spilled out of my date book, spewing Post-Its

all

over my desk and computer, with another undocumented stack of tasks always

clogging up my inbox. What to do?

First I read 's book, Getting Things Done, and a little light bulb

went off in my head. suggests organizing tasks by the location where

you do them. So you maintain lists like 'At Computer', 'Errands', 'Office Time'

and 'Calls to Make'. That's easy and efficient. then has several

suggestions on where to keep these lists.

I choose the Tasks function of Outlook, on my computer, and boy is that

terrific! Every day when I turn on my email, there's my task list staring me in

my

face. Productivity experts note that a graphic portrayal of tasks is actually

helpful in understanding, and being motivated by them. Some are done, some are

undone - and I can divide them into location lists, check lists, a timeline,

or any kind of list I want at the click of a button.

Not only that, the computer actually gets me to put a time frame on all tasks

(if I want) and then reminds me when the deadline is near or past.

This is just the kind of office structure a meandering, creative mind like

mine (and yours?) needs to keep focused and on track.

About The Author:

Suzanne Falter-Barns fr.ee ezine, The Joy Letter, brings you a crisp, fresh

burst of inspiration for your dream every week or two. Sign up at:

http://www.howmuchjoy.com/joyletter.html. And if you need extra help getting

through the

tough parts, check out her Passion Connector e-course at

http://www.howmuchjoy.com/passionconnect.html. info@...

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/AffirmationstoDe-Stress

A positive thinking, positive affirmations support group, that discusses ways to

cope with the stresses of daily life. Come aboard! PJ and Gang