The “Accomplishment Culture Why Questions” -The Antidote to “The Busy-ness Syndrome”

Let’s face it. It is likely that almost every person reading this post considers themselves “busy” more times than not.  Bombarded with work demands, limited resources, family demands, and other activities to which we have committed ourselves, we are engaged more in “Busy-ness” than “Business.”

 Unfortunately, “Busy-ness” is of limited value to the achievement of meaningful objectives, ultimately resulting in feelings of frustration, stress, and lack of purpose and self-worth.  

 For me, however, the antidote to “Busy-ness” has been found through a shift in my behaviors by applying the two core questions of Accomplishment Culture to an evaluation of those activities I chose to say “Yes” to, and more importantly, those I am compelled to which I must say “NO”. 

1-Why does my engagement in this activity matter because I am in it?

2-Why am I better for being involved in this activity?

In other words, what is the value and purpose I bring to the effort specifically to the goal and the people involved, and how, ultimately, do I gain from the engagement?  If both answers do not reveal a compelling reason to say “YES” then if at all possible I must say “NO.”  By doing so, I put myself in a position to deliver a more significant impact on those efforts to which I say “Yes” and have a higher probability of experiencing satisfaction and personal accomplishment.

Where does the “Busy-ness Syndrome” happen to you?  What can you do to change it?

*This post was inspired by Greg McKeown’s book, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s “Flow Theory.” 

Photo Credit: Marion Spears Karr- “Roadwarrior Resistol” (From a recent 3 day-4 planes-6 meetings jaunt from Atlanta to Albuquerque to Denver back to Albuquerque and then to Atlanta business development trip).

#accomplishmentculture #busyness #essentialism #flow #sayNO #sayYES #tylerandcompany