Showing Up, Even If You Don’t Want To
When I was teaching, we went on professional development retreats each year. These events weren’t lavish or luxurious, but we did go to a hotel in a park in a beautiful setting and have professional speakers come talk to us about various topics. It
photo courtesy koalazymonkey via flickr
meant a weekend away from home, at the very end of summer, and I hated them.
I hated leaving my family for a weekend. I hated having to be my professional self (I always called “teacher dava” Mrs. Stewart and thought of her as an entirely different person that “regular dava”) for a whole weekend. I hated the idea of how much such a retreat must have cost, especially when compared to my annual salary.
But usually, the reality of the retreat wasn’t so bad. The speakers were always interesting and it was good to get excited about getting back in the classroom. It was useful to learn more about my profession. Getting to know my co-workers a little better created better understanding and made working together a little more comfortable. It wasn’t so bad.
The experience of having been a teacher helps me to be a better business owner. Just like I showed up on those retreats even though I didn’t want to, I sit down at my desk everyday and write for my clients, even when I don’t want to. It goes beyond simply having a good work ethic. One of the biggest complaints the teachers made about the retreat was that they felt the time would be better spent creating lesson plans or painting classrooms. Working wasn’t the problem. Showing up to do something we didn’t want to do was the problem.
There are parts of every job that are less fun or less interesting, but that still must be done. The odd thing is that we dread some of them so much, but then end up enjoying doing them. One task that writers often feel this way about is invoicing. Personally, I dread it and put it off until we are facing certain financial doom unless I do it, but then feel so happy and efficient when it’s done.
Today I am issuing a challenge: choose one task that you have absolutely been dreading – maybe some marketing, making a call you aren’t looking forward to, paying a bill, whatever – and do it. Then notice how you feel about it and let us know in the comments. (I’m going to feel like an idiot if no one does this so please, save me some embarrassment and make something up if you must.)
The task I was dreading? It was writing this post. I’ve been putting it off all week because writing here, in a personal way, as dava, is becoming increasingly difficult. Sometimes it feels like the more I write for others, the harder it is to identify my own voice and my own style. Now I feel better, though, just for showing up, even when I didn’t feel like it.
Last night I cleaned off my desk for the first time in my life I think. No more papers without a place for it to be. Thanks to Julie. Now I went to the post office and got a weeks worth of mail to work through today and have a bunch of stuff in my tickler file to process today.
Tyler, Hooray for a clean desk! It makes all the difference in the world, doesn’t it? That is exactly the kind of thing that I put off and dread but then do and feel so much better about after. So strange how that works.
Oh, boy. You’ve hit me right between the eyes with this one, Dava! I’ve currently got a half-dozen Evil Dreads on my plate…and all I can think about is vacation next week
Aw, Jake. Now all *I* can think about is vacation. And it’s not until next MONTH for me. This is not good. Not good at all.
First, since Tyler gave me a shout-out, I’ll send one back to him. Whoohoo!
Next, Dava, I love the way you can always cut right to the heart of the matter. Woody Allen said, “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” It’s true. If we took all the energy we spend AVOIDING task because we imbue it with all sorts of monstrous characteristics, then put a tiny bit of it into just doing the darned thing done, we’d have time and energy and inspiration enough to rule the world…or at least our own little corners of it.
As a professional organizer, I know that more than half the battle is getting myself to “battle stations”; by the time I do that, the battle’s half-won. Whatever it takes: a blog challenge from you, an accountability buddy, a (cough, cough) professional organizer…find what motivates you.
Oh, and my procrastinated upon task (yes, we professionals have this challenge, too)? I replied to a speaking engagement request that has some “complicated” back-story with an attitude of optimism. Why borrow worry? Thanks for a stellar post, Dava!
Julie, I’ve always hoped that Woody Allen was right about the link between showing up and being successful. I find the thought comforting. I expect that being organized might help one show up…but for me it’s more of the mental struggle – being able to overcome the voices screaming “I DON’T WANT TO!!!!” in my head. I don’t really think up reasons not to do a thing, I just have to have a sort of mental wrestling match to get going.
Optimism is just so much easier than the alternative. Congratulations on taking care of business with a smile!