For the last handful of years I’ve been too busy to do a lot of things. Too busy to launch new products on my free time, too busy to go on trips for fun, and too busy to spend time with family and friends.

I’ve spent the better part of the last few years working on company projects, trying to leave a lasting impression with my work. While this has been moderately successful, it’s also been a bit of a personal disappointment. I try to hold myself to a high standard, and over the last few years I’ve consistently fallen short of my personal goals.

While helping make the company I work for successful is fun, it isn’t who I am. I don’t want my identity to be a corporation. I want my identity to be ME: a person that has unique interests, talents, and ideas. I want people to know me for being Randall the person, not Randall the <insert job title here>.

At the end of the day, everyone decides what legacy they leave behind. I want to be remembered for all the things that make me special, not just my job.

Hitting Home

I was having lunch with a good friend several weeks ago, and the topic of hobby projects came up. I was lamenting to him that I’ve got all these cool projects I haven’t finished because I’ve been too busy with work and other things to spend any time on them.

As soon as I mumbled through my weak explanation, it instantly clicked for me how pathetic of an excuse that is. Too busy? Really?! How on earth is it possible that I’ve put aside the things I enjoy most in my life and de-prioritized them to a point where I feel guilty even talking about them?

It was a definite moment of clarity for me.

Prioritizing Your Goals

When you hear other people tell you to prioritize your goals, it sounds like such a simple concept. I’ve tried to convince myself countless times over the last few years that I’m making progress in different areas of my life, but each time I knew in the back of my mind that it simply wasn’t true.

There’s a huge difference between thinking about your goals and actually pursuing them. Actually pursuing your goals is incredibly hard work. It takes a lot of discipline to sit down, write a detailed plan for yourself, and make decisions every single day that move you in the right direction.

For the last several years, I’ve just been going with the flow: mindlessly moving along through life, reacting to disasters when they arise, and generally being pushed in one direction or another.

This weekend while I’m taking a break from everything to spend some time with family (it’s my 7 year wedding anniversary!), I’m dedicating a lot of time to revisiting all my goals and aspirations, and making clear plans to keep myself feeling good and moving in the right direction.

If you’re also finding yourself too busy for the things you love, take a closer look at yourself – are you really too busy, or are you just prioritizing the wrong things?