Take A Step Back (Self Awareness)
Most people with ADD share a common trait, they just don’t know when or how to slow down. On the positive side, this trait is a big part of many entrepreneurs, offers a tremendous amount of drive to people’s efforts and creates that energy inside that keeps you going. On the down side, it also leads to burn out and becoming ineffective as a result. Somewhere in the middle lies that “happy medium”.
I have discovered that place through the ability to “Take A Step Back”. Take A Step Back” is the phrase I developed and practiced with my ADD coach Pete Quily. It is about developing the self awareness to realize that in the process or working, leisure, exercise or what ever I may be doing, that I have a breaking point. It is at that breaking point where people either succeed by understanding what their limitations are, or they fail because they are not aware of them. This is when you have to recognize that place in time and, “Take A Step Back”.
Here is a great example. Just last week I had been working very hard, I had been out on a couple 10k runs, had been to the gym and was also doing my job as a father with two young kids. For me, this is usually part of my normal routine. However, I was starting to feel like I was coming down with a slight cold…… you know those sniffles and that something in the back of your throat. This was that point in time for me to realize that although it was another scheduled running day, I needed to “Take A Step Back” and relax with some warm tea, a blanket and turn my mind and body off. In the past I would have tried to push through, however through practicing that self awareness to regulate myself, I realized I was at my breaking point and did something about it.
In the past, I would not have had this self awareness and would have pushed too hard, developed a full blown cold. I would have been sick for a week, or more. This obviously would have impacted my ability to work, be a father and participate properly in the many other activities and jobs that are part of life for a week or so. Try it out, engrain that thought of “Take A Step Back” in your mind and practice it. It really works!