I’m trying to decide if I’m in a period of learning or thrashing at the moment.
I’m definitely learning a lot these days, mainly with all the stuff I’m doing to build and promote Thoughtwrestling (which you need to read and subscribe to because it’s awesome; it could change your life; and we’ve got a top-notch group of contributors there). I’m reaching out and connecting with a lot of different people who I think would be part of our intended audience.
I think I’m thrashing (or perhaps I’m using a shotgun approach) because of all these kinds of exploration and outreach. As I follow the trails of links across the Web, I find things that look really cool and I invest time in researching them. It’s fun and all, but I think it’s getting a little bit out of hand. For example, in the past week alone I’ve:
- - registered yet another domain name for yet another potential blog
- - found a cool piece work site and invested some time into that
- - contacted a number of bloggers by mail
- - commented in lots of places
It’s all exciting and new, but I feel myself falling into the trap of surfing and connecting without clear purpose and alignment to my goals. I’m trying to combat this with better goal setting and planning, as well as trying to force myself to ask the why question.
I think it’ll all be fine: just need to keep the end goals in mind.
How do you control your distractions?
I’m the last person to ask about controlling distractions – I’m terrible at it. Once enthused about something, I’m scattered everywhere. What usually happens is a bit like editing. I stop, have to look at what I’m doing and realize I’m swamped and lost in chaos.
I then have to prioritize (go back to the goals or, where they are absent, set them) and drop whatever doesn’t help attain them. If there is still too much, whatever I’m doing has to be prioritized.
In other words, I have to impose order. At the start, however, there is usually no order. It is always imposed post-activity — after I’ve begun.
Bill´s last blog ..What unifies these links?
All too often the same thing seems to happen to me. I’m working on planning/following the plan. Still, nice to know I’m not alone.
That might make an interesting post. “Is order something that happens after the fact?”
Bill´s last blog ..What unifies these links?
Oh you’re definitely not alone!
Last spring I got inspired and bought at least ten domains because I was bursting with enthusiasm yet couldn’t decide which one I wanted to develop! I have only just this past weekend killed thepetcat.com, smarterpetcare.com, catsgeek.com,… etc. I’m letting lunchhourbytes.com and miscbytes.com stay on the back burner until this brain figures out exactly what I want to do with ‘em. I have a blast getting obsessed with internet projects! 
And at least we’re not buying expensive cars or breaking the law, so it could be worse!
Christie´s last blog ..What advice would you give an introverted student?
Of course I distract myself but it is not a big deal, really. If I do, I take it as a sign that maybe I also need something else.
How do you know it is a distraction? Maybe you need to do what you are calling distraction in order to take care of yourself?
I think distracion comes when we are overwhelmed and we have set too high goals. We rather procrastinate than doing all “the hard work” So, I make my goals easier.
Otherwise, the best that works for me is dead-lines that involve other people. then I follow through.
Planning matters, even if sounds so boring. Also to have some reasons why I do anything clarified tends to focus me as well.
I expect that if you know how to control and use your distraction productively, you’ll be just fine.