Working constantly and with no sense of direction on weekends will burn you out.
That's not what this piece is about. If you're smart, you can work late or on the weekends without suffering from burnout.
The problem is that most of us like to mentally and literally 'get away' on the weekend. A recent piece by writer Jari Roomer made me think. He says, "Don't try to escape your life this weekend; use it to build the life you want."
Jari says that for many of us, the weekend not only keeps us from making progress on our plans. We may fall further behind on Monday than we were on Friday, but the weekend can make us catch up.
If every weekend you get drunk, it moves your health backwards.
If every weekend you go shopping or purchase expensive bottles at the club, it moves your finances backward.
And if every weekend you spend a lot of hours watching Netflix, it moves your mental focus backward.
We get things done with the help of our habits. We go backwards when our activities are 'escape activities'.
Pay close attention to what you do over the weekend. You know that one thing can change your life, but you haven't built it yet.
I live an international lifestyle as a global business nomad. Do you want to know how you can achieve that too? CLICK HERE to get instant access to my FREE Digital Pioneer business course!
Find a Way to Become this Kind of Person
There are 2 types of people in this world: 1) I don't know how to do it kind of people, and 2) I don't know how to do it but I will find a way kind of people. Be the second kind.
Putting together a plan to build something on the weekends and after work takes some imagination. You can say "I'm too busy" over and over again and then feel bad about it. Or you can be the second type of person who is set on getting what they want.
We make time for the things we want to build. We always find a reason for things that aren't important to us.
Trouble is, You Think You'll Have Time in the Future
The trouble is, you think you have time.
Jack Kornfield
We're not all stupid. We're sure that one day we'll have time to build. What's wrong is that our imaginations take over from what's real. It's not likely that you'll ever find time if you can't find it this weekend. It's only fair to be honest.
There is no time for a goal.
Make time for what's important to you after you know what your goals are. We have to make time for the important things. You don't just say, "Fuck it, I'm not going to pick up my kids from school today. I'll leave them there overnight." I tell you, I'm too busy.
Nope. Why do you make time for the kids? Because you don't want them to die of not having enough care. It makes sense.
When people want to build, the worst thing I've seen is that they allow holidays to get in the way.
Vacations are a dream.
You probably won't build over the holidays either if you didn't find time to build all year. You need some free time. You need time to visit other countries and learn about their cultures. The worst way to build something is to use breaks.
Less work can be done without getting tired.
Why Many people fear Building
The things you build might not work.
Some people might see it as self-destruct. Because we were afraid of failing, we put off building in secret to avoid being embarrassed.
There is a better way.
Set up in quiet. Do not say anything about it. Don't tell anyone. Do your work on the weekend when no one else can see it. Do not write about it. Do not talk about it.
First build something, then try something new.
Discover a way. You can show the results later if you want to. Or just be quiet.
When I quit my old job, I told no one.
When I started making money, I told no one.
When I started hitting the gym, I told no one.
I tell no one anything.
Outside opinions will throw off your energy.
Aaron Will
The Powerful way to Build
Use tiny steps in the beginning as a strategy to help you build something that will change your life.
Being the person on the right in the picture above means building something when you have time. It's too tough. There's too much time between the steps you need to take. The key is to use regularity to shorten the time between steps.
Starting with 15-minute habits is the best way to get going.
It's not possible. You have a lot to do. I see it. You can easily set aside 15 minutes every day to work on something important. It's almost impossible to mess it up because there isn't much time left.
Over time, 15-minute habits lead to small steps forward. You can make more time in your plan to build as you go when you see that progress.
Progress is proof. Evidence makes people want to act. Prioritization happens at the same time as motivation.
Freedom is a Wall between Yourself and the things we hate doing
We never have time to build because we have other things to do that we hate.
It could be a job. It could be a project you promised to do. It could be the bad people in your life.
Understand that what you build will create the freedom that separates what you love from what you hate. This will help you get past the block. Dream killers will not let you go until you start making the cure.
Life will keep giving you more of the things you hate until you decide to build as a quick escape.
As soon as this weekend, start building. Form a habit of building. That's how you get away from the life you don't want and slowly start living a life you do.
Do you want to know how I became an Internet millionaire in just a few years? CLICK HERE to get instant access to my FREE Digital Pioneer business course!