Often you’ll see society trumpeting the value of pacing yourself, de-stressing, and having “balance” in your life. What they’re trying to say is admirable, “don’t work so hard you freak out, or die at your desk like some guy I once read about on Nightline”. Even on this blog you’ll hear me encourage leaders to unplug from technology every once in a while, have a REAL life – one that doesn’t have any connection to work, staff, your business challenges, and networking.
Yet out of those well-meaning tips arises a real problem – pacing your
self.
“Pacing” yourself means that you are deliberately going at less than full speed in order to make sure you reach the end goal without over-exerting. I know because I often pace myself when I’m out on a run, or I’m half-way through a bike ride and I get the impression that I’ve exerted too much energy on the first half of the ride and seriously doubt that I’ve got enough juice to make it home.
Short of pacing yourself so that you don’t injure yourself, pacing is almost NEVER a good idea at your career. It’s become the secret codeword for retiring on the job, or getting a few extra months of vacation.
Back when work was largely assembly line, mindless stuff, maybe you could get away with that, but this next generation is requiring us to do only the things we love and to do them with our whole heart. Pacing yourself flies in the face doing what you love.
Instead, go all out -100% engaged, 100% committed to what you’re doing. Then, when you are unplugging you can feel free to be 100% in the moment instead of worrying about work and what you didn’t get done. Be present, be engaged, be there 100%. Stop pacing yourself waiting for the magic moment to shine and just shine.
DC
