I’m in the process of finalizing the specifics of a new project, and though the basics are sorted out and my pre-launch to-dos are essentially locked in, there’s still work to be done in terms of the secondary implications it might have on my life.
I know what the tangible outputs will be, but what about the process leading up to those outputs? Where will the time and energy I’ll need to invest come from, and what would I be spending that time and energy on, otherwise?
How might I set this thing up so that it contributes to my other efforts and ambitions rather than pulling from my pool of resources in a zero-sum way?
How do I want to feel when I’m working on this project? What do I want to derive from this work, beyond the ultimate, productized output?
It’s possible to jump right into something new—be it a hobby, (writing or reading) a book, or working on some kind of side-hustle—and to then rearrange things as we go so that this addition, whatever its initial shape, becomes more custom-tailored as time goes by.
It’s also possible, though, to take some of those measurements ahead of time so that we’re fueled and liberated by this new ambition rather than drained and constrained by it, from day one.
A little bit of pre-work can shape such efforts so that they supplement and augment and coordinate with the other things on our to-do lists (short- and long-term), rather than pulling us away from them.
This won’t always be an option, of course, as sometimes things just happen, and opportunities that should be immediately taken pop up without warning.
In such cases, the best we can usually manage is to iterate our lives and efforts as we go, slowly bringing things into better, more sustainable equilibrium over time.
When possible, though, it’s prudent to account for our oft-neglected, life-focused variables, too. As while it’s tough to quantify things like getting good sleep and not feeling rushed throughout the day, these sorts of feelings, vibes, and potentialities are fundamental to our continued healthfulness, flourishing, and capacity to cultivate and pursue our passions and goals.
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