Life on purpose: How to un-do “busy” and live like you mean it

First things first: Our society is absolutely obsessed with being busy.

It’s true - ask ten people how they are, and I would bet at least eight of them reply in a way similar to this:

“Good! Busy.”

I think it’s a reaction more than anything. I’m not sure people really understand the word “busy”, because I believe that if they did, they would stop using it so often. And more importantly, they would stop believing that busy equals purposeful.

Truth is that most people feel useful/valuable/worthy if they are busy doing something. And something can be anything, absolutely anything at all - just as long as they are in action.

And anybody can do busy.

But not everybody can do purposeful.

That takes a bit more focus and commitment.

A few examples of the difference between “busy” and “purposeful”.

Busy: Having a jam-packed schedule.

Purposeful: Having a comfortable schedule that includes (but is not limited to) activities that fill you up and contribute to your growth, happiness, and dreams.

Busy: Never having enough time to do the things you really want to do.

Purposeful: Making those things a big part of your schedule and managing your time and creating effective systems so that the “other stuff”
gets done but doesn’t take up all your time.

Busy: Over-committing because you think there is something noble about being stretched so thin that you make yourself sick.

Purposeful: Not doing that. Ever. For any reason. Not now, and not in the future.

It all comes down to living on purpose. As if you really mean it.

Now - if you decide to take on making the shift from busy to purposeful, understand that the rest of the world isn’t necessarily going to do the same thing, and you may even begin to feel frustrated as you evolve into living more purposefully and others around you don’t. It’s kind of a tacit agreement you make with yourself and with life. Keep moving forward. You will adjust, and others will either feel inspired to do the same, or they won’t. We are all on our own journey.

Remember: always work towards creating and keeping habits that you can take with you anywhere you go, no matter where you find yourself on your journey.

Hope you try this stuff on to see how it fits. I’m betting you’ll love how it looks and feels!