Carve Deep, Sharp Edges

Carve Deep, Sharp Edges
By Sean Alexander

I was working at my desk this morning as the sun started to rise. I always find the very early morning hours to be the most enjoyable, but it is sometimes hard to focus on the task at hand while nature puts on a display of such unbridled beauty and enticing renewal. So, I have compromised: in the roughly 15 minutes before and 5 minutes after the sunrise, I allow myself to stop what I’m doing and bask in the promise of the new day embodied in the unmatched cosmic artistry. Unmatched, that is, except by the closing act at sunset. Twenty minutes of bliss. Then it’s back to work.

I have found that if I don’t put sharp edges into my days, they seem to slide away from me. Heck, even when the edges are reasonably sharp, it is still sometimes much too easy to not follow the plan; to choose the easy or fun thing to do rather than the meaningful and challenging. By clearly defining both the beginning and ending points, I find I do better at accomplishing the things that are important. This is where many of us set ourselves up for disappointing results.

We seem to have no problem setting the starting point, but the ending point is left to the vagaries of the day and other people’s priorities. By the way, even though it never works well, I am an expert at that method. But, when we carve the completion in granite—for both time and outcomes—the results are simply amazing. Things get done. Goals are accomplished. Results are attained. There are few things in life that give the rush of endorphins to the brain that attaining a worthwhile goal provides. By defining the edges, we step into the world of high performance individuals. It’s a little scary and intimidating there, but it is the only place to be if we intend to do anything meaningful with our lives.
Clear boundaries help keep the brain focused. The more focused we become; the faster the hours fly by. This is sometimes referred to as time quickening, being in the zone, being in the groove, or being at one with things. In his 1990 book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Performance, Mihály Csíkszentmihályi discusses the nine factors that lead to Flow, not the least of which is having Clear Goals. This includes the requirement that the task at hand should be highly challenging and that the one performing the task employs a high degree of skill in accomplishing it.

One quick aside: please, do not confuse being in the flow state with going with the flow. The former is a state of unmitigated engagement. The latter is a state of unmitigated abdication. Which one do you think provides the greatest sense of self-worth, and leads to the greatest accomplishments?

A key aspect of this idea of defining edges to the times we set aside for accomplishing life’s important goals is that when it is time to start, start. When it is time to stop, stop.* If not enough time was allotted to the task this time, then we learn from the experience and build a better plan next time. This does require a modicum of planning to ensure there is sufficient time to accomplish the remainder of the task during a future block of time. It is paramount that we first learn how long it takes to do things; then, within the allotted time, do everything that needs to be done. Period. Nobody ever said this was easy, but it is simple.

* It was the King who said to the White Rabbit, “Begin at the beginning, and go on till you come to the end; then stop.” From Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. 1866.

An objection to this idea of time blocking that I frequently hear has to do with spontaneity. People fear that by becoming tied to a clock, they are somehow going to enjoy less life’s little pleasures. I don’t see why this should be so. If we schedule our time so we can accomplish our most important goals on time, then what spontaneous event could provide us with more pleasure than that? What spur of the moment happenstance could possibly disrupt our Flow? Really.

Carving razor sharp edges into our days reveals a well-chiseled path toward success. Mastering this important discipline allows us to sculpt our days into a chosen future, and through such mastery we live on life’s Vital Edge.

To Your Vital Success,

Sean Alexander

To comment on this article, click here.

To subscribe to The Vital Edge, click here.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

Sean Alexander is President of VitalThought, a boutique consulting company that focuses on Results-Based Management. His monthly ezine, The Vital Edge, helps executives, project managers and team members discover project and personal success with results-based strategies and tactics. If you're ready to energize your projects and yourself, investigate the possibilities at www.vitalthought.com.