Who Fills Your Success Plate?

I was thinking about the demands we place upon ourselves those others place on us. I noticed that some people have mountains of tasks before them and cheerfully and effectively plow through them without major disruptions to their lives. Others however find themselves overwhelmed and fall further and further behind in their lives.

What is the difference?

Some will automatically say the first group is simply more organized than the second. Some will say that the second doesn't have the skills to deal with it. Others will say that the first group is task oriented and the second is feeling oriented.

Some or all of these things may be true at any given time. But these don't explain the fact that ALL of us fit into both groups at some point or another in our lives. No one is forever focused and effective. No one is forever overwhelmed by life.

So what is the difference?

It boils down to one thing we believe. Motivation.

Not the rah-rah type. I am talking about the source of why these things must be done, the reason you take action. What is the motive for your behavior?

Is it internal or external? In other words, are you motivated by things you choose to be motivated about? Or are you motivated because you let someone or something else tell you that's why you should take action?

Are these things imposed upon us or do we create them because we have the desire to do them or have the results? Is your life controlled by you or by others? Whose goals are you working on? Yours or others? Motivation is entirely something you decide. You decide how you feel about something and whether or not it's important enough to act.

When you feel overwhelmed and unable to cope with life's challenges, look at these challenges. The ones causing the most stress are almost always those imposed by others. These are external factors. Your challenges that are fun to do and effortless to tackle (no matter the difficulty or complexity) are almost always ones of your own choosing.

The key to being happy and productive in times like that is to simply fill your plate with your own projects or projects of your own choosing.

While this is not always 100% possible, it is a great goal to work toward.

A final thought here... When you are getting that overwhelmed feeling, examine what is before you and see what external things you can safely get rid of (without losing your job for instance).

You can always do more than someone else when your plate is filled by YOU and theirs is filled by someone else!

So, fill your success plate yourself as much as you can.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Who-Fills-Your-Success-Plate?&id=9480329