003 - You’re Too Busy: Finding Clarity in the Chaos

Welcome back to the Path to Purpose: 8 Steps to Transformation series! In our last article, You Feel Left Behind: Understanding Your Path, Your Pace, and Your Purpose, we dug into that nagging feeling of being stuck in comparison, showing how embracing your unique journey can free you from the trap of feeling left behind. Now, it’s time to tackle another heavyweight, feeling too busy.

Here’s the thing about being “too busy”, it creeps up on you little by little until one day you’re running on fumes. You end up juggling more than you ever thought possible, and wondering why you’re so exhausted. Let’s be honest, society loves to tell us that being busy is a badge of honor.

But is it really? Or are you just filling your days with tasks that aren’t bringing you any closer to your purpose?

Before we get too deep, don’t forget to check out the diagram that maps out this series. Each article builds on the last, and this roadmap will help you navigate your way through your personal transformation.

Glorifying the Grind

We live in a world that glorifies the grind, the hustle, the “more, more, more.” Sometimes, we’re so busy trying to keep up that we lose track of what we’re even working toward. There’s a difference between moving with purpose and staying busy just to feel like you’re accomplishing something. It’s time to ask yourself, “Is what’s keeping you busy actually bringing you closer to the life you want, or is it just keeping you in motion so you don’t have to face the stillness?

Busyness is sneaky. It convinces us that if we just keep going, we’ll eventually get ahead. Honestly, the constant state of doing may actually be pushing you further away from your purpose, not bringing you closer to it.

When Doing It All Became My Downfall

There’s this belief that if you keep pushing harder, things will eventually fall into place. That’s where I was, running myself into the ground thinking I was doing the right thing, not just for me, but for my family. I thought being everywhere and doing everything was the hallmark of a good father, a good husband, a hard worker. But here’s the truth, my need to constantly stay in motion burnt me and everyone around me out.

At the time, I convinced myself that my hustle was for my three sons. I wanted them to see me at every game, every school meeting. I thought I was showing them what it meant to work hard and to be present. But the more I stretched myself thin, the more I realized I wasn’t truly present at all. I was there, but my mind was always on my never-ending to-do list.

And as for my marriage?

My constant busyness was like putting a slow leak in the tire. By the time I realized the damage I was doing, it was too late to patch things up.

The consequences weren’t just on my schedule or in my energy, it showed up in the way I showed up for the people I loved. My relationship with my sons became strained under the weight of my distracted presence. My neglect during those years of frantic hustle became one of the leading reasons my marriage fell apart. I was trying to be everything for everyone, and I ended up being nothing for anyone.

Then the ultimate wake-up call hit. I pushed my body to its breaking point, and I paid a huge price for it. I had a heart attack called the widowmaker—the kind that often doesn’t leave room for second chances. Thankfully, I survived, but that moment brought everything into focus. This wasn’t just about me losing myself in the busyness.

The real cost?

I was losing my connections with the people I loved most.

It’s easy to get caught up in the grind, to convince ourselves that we’re doing it for the right reasons. But when being busy starts to hurt everyone else, when it drives a wedge between you and the people who matter most that’s when you realize just how high the stakes really are.

When Being Busy Hurts Everyone

Here’s the brutal truth I learned the hard way: staying busy just to stay busy is the fast track to burnout. We live in a society that glorifies the grind, constantly pushing us to do more, be more, produce more. But if all that hustle isn’t tied to your purpose, it’s just noise—and trust me, when you’re out of alignment, that noise gets deafening.

Sure, money can push you forward for a while. It might even give you a boost when you’re running on fumes. But here’s the kicker: it won’t keep you going. When the work you’re doing doesn’t feed your purpose, the grind will grind you down. And here’s the harsh reality—some things you lose along the way are gone for good.

I was lucky with my health. After my heart attack, I had the chance to turn things around, and I did. I was able to reconnect with my sons, rebuild those relationships. But my marriage? That didn’t survive the storm. That was a hard reminder that while we can experience some recovery, there are some consequences that are irreversible.

Learning to re|treat, re|discover, re|connect

After my heart attack, I knew something had to change. That’s when I began the process of re|treating. I pulled back from everything. Work, obligations, the hustle, and took time to figure out what really mattered to me. I had to get quiet enough to hear my own voice again, to re|discover what inspired me, and, ultimately, to get back in touch with my purpose. When you’ve been running on autopilot for years, it’s hard to remember who you were before you became so busy.

Once I had that clarity, I started to re|connect with my life, my sons, and my responsibilities with intention and not overcommitment. I learned that showing up with purpose meant more than just being everywhere all the time. It is being present in the moments that mattered most to me and the people I love.

Take Your Next Destined Step

So, if you’re feeling the weight of being stretched too thin and ready to shift from just doing to truly living, I invite you to connect with the E.L. Harrison Digital Coaching xPerience. This isn’t just another program. It’s a community built on care and intention, designed to help you find answers to the questions that have been tugging at your heart throughout this article.

Inside, you’ll discover thoughtful, real-time tools, resources, and services crafted to provide real-time solutions that lead to real-time positive results. It’s about taking meaningful steps toward the life you’re meant to live, with clarity, confidence, and support every step of the way.

If this message resonates with you, visit the Transformation Hub at www.ericlharrison.com/transitionhub.

It’s filled with resources that will help you take the next step toward transforming your life in a meaningful, lasting way.

We’re in this together so please consider joining the E.L. Harrison Digital Coaching xPerience community, where you'll be surrounded by people just like you who are ready to break free from the societal noise and walk their destined path with purpose. We’d love to walk this path with you.