I was in a study the other night where the discussion was about keeping our eyes on the finish line of hopes in our lives. In reality, reaching for what we really want in life is part of keeping a focus on the end goal but we discussed in our group, how too often we get off track looking at the sidelines of life which distracts us. A little book, Keep It Simple: Unclutter Your Mind to Uncomplicate Your Life by Joe Calloway gives insights on keeping your mind focused on what is important. It can be ordered through Simple Truths.
Joe Calloway is Executive In Residence at Belmont University’s Center For Entrepreneurship. He helps organizations and businesses improve by leadership development and team improvement. He is an author as well of numerous business books on helping companies be the best they can be. In the small book Keep It Simple he is focusing in on individual self-improvement.
A major problem in our lives is that they become cluttered by the unimportant stuff of life so we never get around to what is important. How many times have you heard yourself say, “I will get around to it one day”. Then life passes by and we never get around to what we felt was so important.
He emphasizes to spend most of life energy in keeping it simple. Create your life goals in a simple and easy to understand manner. Take some time to quiet your life and think over the 3 most important things in your life. “Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify, simplify! I saw let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million, count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumbnail.” (Henry David Thoreau). Create your goals you want to accomplish based on the few important things in your life. This reminds me of how Stephen Covey used to say focus in on the “Big Rocks” in your life. Most of your energy should be towards what is most important to you.
Another important point he brings up is in cleaning out the clutter of your life create a “to let go of” list. Time mangers encourage “to do” lists but the “to let go of” list is to help unclutter the distractions that are keeping your eyes on the sidelines instead of the goal line. Examples of the let go’s are negative habits that are getting us off track.
He gives a number of principles to follow and for me the one that stood out to me was “Be better tomorrow than you were today”. I like that principle as it reminds as we keep a clear focus on the important goals they can be reached better if we keep improving ourselves. He gives other principles that are just as noteworthy so I would encourage you to find a copy of the book through your local library or favorite bookseller. Keeping it simple frees up life energy to make the most of your life.
Reflection: What are the 3 most important things in your life? What is cluttering your life that you need to get rid of? How can you simplify your life?
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