Accomplishment Is Not Always About Effort
Hi there! How have you been “do”ing? See what I did there? If you’re new here, you’re probably confused. Over the last couple of articles, I’ve been writing about the things that affect/influence how well you reach your goals. Today, I have an exciting topic that just might make you pause and think: using the right amount of effort. Got your attention? Let’s dive into it!
In general, we’re taught that putting in the effort is good. Also, more effort is gooder. More good? Better? Why am I trying so hard…?
What got me thinking about this was sitting in traffic. It was interesting because people move in and out of the lanes based on where they’re trying to go. Once in a while, someone zooms forward, slams on the brakes, zooms forward, and slams on the brakes again. I wonder why the driver is working so hard for such little results.
The image of zooming forward and braking made me realize something about effort. Both of those acts require effort. In this scenario, it requires a lot of effort to accelerate, which builds momentum, then you actively brake to slow down that momentum. However, there’s a third possible state: coasting. That’s when you ride with whatever momentum you have at the moment.
After that, I started thinking about where the effort comes up in our lives and where we need to use the gas, the brake, or when to coast. For some reason, my brain goes to physical health first. Physical exercise requires effort, right? We put in a lot of effort to build those muscles. But then I remember hearing about runners who force themselves not to run before a big race. Forced rest helps prevent injuries. Then I started wondering… can we get the exercise results while we coast? That’s when I thought of OrangeTheory. Have you heard of them? Their gyms have exploded across the US over the past few years. They have workouts focused on keeping you in the orange zone. I don’t know all the details, but I do know that you don’t burn the most calories from the workout. After being in the orange zone, your body continues to burn calories after your workout, up to 24 hours afterward. You actually burn more calories after the workout than you do during the workout. Isn’t that amazing? You stopped exercising, yet you’re getting results (aka coasting).
So what does this have to do with achieving your goals? Besides health goals, there’s a perspective I’d like to share, which has to do with time. Too often, we want to see results immediately because that’s when we’re putting in the effort. However, because we don’t see the results, we stop. I’d like to offer you that there wasn’t anything wrong with the effort. You just need more time to see results. Give yourself the gift of time! This may be especially true when you’re in a tough situation, such as owing some money. You work hard and make that payment, only to see it hasn’t made a dent. It’s only been a little bit, but give yourself the gift of time!
So here’s where I get curious. What have you been working on? How much effort have you been putting in? Do you need to put in more? Maybe less? Or maybe you should coast for a little bit…? Did you give yourself the gift of time?
So what’s going on in that noggin of yours? Please reach out and let me know! If you’re unsure what to work on, please check out my Wheel of Life tool to get some clarity at https://www.kevinkoocoach.com/wheel-of-life1.
Coach Kev helps people gain clarity on what they want in life, craft a plan, and keep them accountable while trying to not further an Asian stereotype. Contact him at kevinkoocoaching@gmail.com or book a call at https://calendly.com/kevinkoocoaching/cvforum
