Time - Let Your Commitments Lead the Way

When you commit and take a stand for something greater and then let your commitments lead the way - you set yourself up for massive traction.

On today's episode, Kathy DeCocq and I talk about how  commitments can be a blueprint for your everyday choices.  When you know what you are committed to it becomes much easier to prioritize, make decisions, set healthy time boundaries and make serious traction on what matters most to you.  Listen for actionable take-aways and your invitation to Time Camp!

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Transcript

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SPEAKER_00 0:00

How much is your time really worth? We all have the same 24 hours a day. It's how you manage those hours that counts. If you're constantly battling the clock, you're going to love this conversation again. Kathy Dico is back, and we've put together a simple series to get to the root on how you can sustainably shift the way you spend your precious time. Together we bring a holistic approach, touching on the mindset, strategy, and action components that are so vital to true change. This is number four of our four conversations. If you didn't hear the previous three, be sure to go back. We are exploring the real barriers to maximizing your time and want to show you what you can do differently to finally make traction on the things that matter most. Today we explore the power of commitment and how commitments are key to getting us beyond old habits and moving forward with consistency. Maybe you've been feeling at the mercy of your time. It's happened to all of us. But the truth is, while there are many things we can't control, our time is one that we can. And we have found that commitments play a key role. We want to get you back in the driver's seat of your time. Join us today. Let's talk commitment and what that means to your precious time. Here we go. I'm Carla Reeves, and this is Differently, a podcast where we explore the ins and outs of what becomes possible when we're willing to think, do, and show up differently to the moments of our everyday lives. So you want to kick us off, Kathy? Sure. Why is commitment important?

SPEAKER_01 2:09

Yeah, commitment to me means a lot or could mean a lot of different things, but um, you know, without a commitment to being aware, without a commitment to um trying new things, to get new habits instilled, to work yourself towards the life that you really want, as opposed to maybe what somebody else has uh you know impressed upon you. Um nothing, none of this works, like all these tidbits are all nice, but if you don't have the discipline to do the things, well then uh you know it's it's not going to be very impactful because we are creatures of habit. We've been on the planet for a very long time now, uh, each of us individually, and we've got some habits that we've created that are just so comfortable and so easy to fall into. And, you know, Carla, what you and I have been talking about in the series is we don't like, you know, like what if we don't like where we are, right? Like there's there's a different way to think about it, there's a different mindset to have uh and a different identity that you can have as an entrepreneur or as an employee. And the only way really to move towards a better place, even if you're even if what you have right now is pretty awesome, like I believe you can always do something a little bit better. So if you want to move in that direction, it's gonna take some action and it's gonna take some discipline and commitment to really try some stuff that's gonna feel a little uncomfortable for a couple of weeks, and then you know, after that you'll kind of get into the groove, and the idea is it becomes the new normal for you, and it's the old fallback habit, right? So that's what I think about, you know, when you say commitments, it's um that all-in feeling that that willingness to get a little bit uncomfortable and try some stuff. How about for you, Carla? What what do you think about?

SPEAKER_00 4:12

Yeah, it's so good. Um, yeah, so for me, when I think of commitments, I think of this time in my life where I was really kind of like you're saying, like feeling just at the mercy of life, just kind of going that was just life was kind of blowing me around with the wind, and I was kind of this victim to my circumstances and what was happening. And there was a time that I started to, I was when I was a new mom and I was journaling, I was trying to really gather my sanity and be a great mom and take care, take better care of myself. And I started writing every day kind of how I was feeling. And I, after a long period of time, I went back and I noticed that my feelings were all over the place. And I had like on any given day, on any given moment, I'm feeling something different. And I had this like moment, this aha moment of like, wow, I better know what I'm committed to because if I follow what I'm feeling, I'm not gonna get anywhere fast. And that was a huge life-changing moment for me of like, I need to know what I'm committed to and let my commitments lead the way. And that's kind of what you're saying is like it's uncomfortable, yes, because we do have all those habits. And some for some of us, we are accustomed to following kind of what we're feeling. And sometimes that can be good and okay, and we're not saying dishonor the way that you feel in any way, but what if you let your commitments lead the way more of the time? And for me, that was a real game changer. Uh, and it took away a lot of the overthinking of do I feel like this? Do I want to do this today? Is it the right time? Is it the right weather? Is it the right thing? Like it took away all that. And it's like, wait a minute, what am I committed today? Okay, I'm gonna show up and do this today. And you can work with your energy and the way that you're feeling on a particular day, sort of in the um structure or framework of what you're committed to. And for me, that was life-altering.

SPEAKER_01 6:21

Yeah, I like that quite a bit. Um, and so I wonder then, Carla, it I mean, to me, it sounds like you would have to have done a little bit of work to say, what am I committed to to have those like signposts in the ground, you know, to be able to look for. So, how did you go about figuring that out? Like, is there a something you can share with the audience on like what you went through to figure your signposts?

SPEAKER_00 6:48

Hey, I wanted to pop in here on behalf of Kathy and I and give you a special invitation. We are so excited and truly want to get you back in the driver's seat of your time. We created Time Camp for that very reason. Time Camp is a four-week virtual, highly interactive workshop experience. It's not a time machine, but we've created the next best thing for you. Kathy and I are your camp coaches, and they're to ensure that you get the mindset, tools, and strategies that will equip you to create more time for the important things and help you make the most of every minute. We've put a link in the show notes where you can get all the details and save your spot in Time Camp. There is limited seating. You will want to make your reservation soon. Okay, let's get back to talking time. Yeah, for sure. I mean, if for me, it it at that particular time it was kind of like I want to be uh I want to be a great mom. I want to be a happy mom. I want to, I felt like that was one of the greatest gifts I could give my kids. But for me, it's it became really a blueprint. Like I always have a list of commitments that I'm running by. So and and the commitments are not just one area of my life, but they encompass multiple areas. And so always for me, it's like I want to create an extraordinary marriage. And it's not that we always have one, but I'm always like it's it's kind of a pillar that I'm always reaching for that gives me what I'm gonna do today. Um, you know, family, business, creating business, the kind of business and experience I want to create for my clients, um, maybe a revenue goal, right? Like there's there's a commitment in in different areas. And so it's just identifying what are the what are your big rocks? What are you most, what do you want to move the needle on when it comes really to the end, what do you want to have moved the needle on in your life? And identifying maybe three to five, you know, big rocks and lining yourself up to those.

SPEAKER_01 9:00

And I imagine too, because I like what you said, like keep it a small number because I think if if all of a sudden you want to do this huge overhaul, right? Then it's it it becomes um so big it's untenable. Like you can't start a single thing because there's just so many of them. So focusing on you know, couple three, five is I I enjoy that and use that a lot. Um, did you go deeper to say things? Because I I work on this uh with my clients and myself quite a bit, because you know, I'll make a statement like, you know, I want to have uh a good business. Okay, so what does that mean? Like, so I imagine you did a little bit of work there to say, you know, if I wanted to have uh certain revenue goals, if I wanted to be a happy mom, have uh an amazing marriage, like there's probably some detail work that went into that too, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:53

Yeah, for sure. I think there can be some, you know, sub-bullets to that to say, you know, what is what does that look and tangibly feel like and how are you gonna know you're there? Um I think it is important to have some depth around that. Um, and also that makes it more tangible to say, you know, what actions then are gonna lead me to that feeling or experience. And I like to think about, you know, commitments and and goals too as a place to not necessarily get to, but a place to come from. They really, I think so often we're we're trained to like that whole achievement, keep achieving to get somewhere. But if you if you think about what it is you really want, and then who do I need to be today and what do I need to take action around today to create more of that now? And it's gonna move you in that direction, but it's also gonna create more of that experience now, which is what we all want. Like someday may never come, but start creating that now.

SPEAKER_01 10:56

I really like that, and uh, you know, being um or identifying as an achiever, like there's always just set something out in the future to work towards. And I like what you're saying about, you know, like why? Like, who says that who says that it has to just be some future thing? Like, make it now, make it something that you can um manage, that you can plan for, that it's in like today. What if you only had today? What could you do? And I think something like that is for me is very motivating because if I look and you know, I I think like projects, so I think in you know, end goal and then back it up, right? But some of those end goals are huge, and it's like, ooh, how am I ever going to achieve you know this uh giant real estate portfolio that I imagine that I'll have in the future, right? Well, if I think about that now, I'm like, ooh, can't get it, can't even get started. But if I think about one thing that I could do or a way that I approach decisions that I make throughout the day, who I'm gonna talk to, what book I'm gonna read, like those are very small, manageable things that take you towards that big goal, even if you don't know exactly what that big goal is or when it's gonna happen.

SPEAKER_00 12:25

I love that. And we're always gonna fall back, right? Like fall back on those old habits. We're gonna slip, we're gonna trip, we're gonna find ourselves off track. And the most important thing is that we don't focus so much on the slip or the falling back, that that's natural and normal. But the most important thing is that we get back on. And I think uh for me, a list of commitments really helps to keep me on track because it I can overnight sometimes forget like who am I and what am I up to? And it's like, oh yeah, this is what I'm up to, and this is what I'm doing, and this is what I'm you know moving towards and you know want to create today. So it does help us to stay on track for sure.

SPEAKER_01 13:09

And why do we like that quite a bit?

SPEAKER_00 13:10

Some of the rewards of commitments.

SPEAKER_01 13:19

I think I'm trying to think for me, like I reward myself in small ways, but um, you know, like I'll get myself, I'm I'm if I if I were a dog, I would be very highly food made motivated. Like I would just be like, yeah, let's whatever trick you need me to do, that's cool as long as there's bacon involved. So I get myself, you know, little food rewards, um, like in the evening. Um sometimes the reward is to just get up and get a nice cold glass of water, which sounds like super lame, but like some days that you know all I'm at is at my desk having conversations with folks, which I really enjoy. But you know, there's other functions that need to be maintained. So I do that. I'll go read a book for a few minutes, like go play a game on my phone. Like I've got little rewards that I do uh to keep me going kind of throughout the day. And then things like you had mentioned uh previously, like vacations, you know, like there's those types of things that are a little bit bigger. Um, you know, if I have a good day business revenue-wise, like I might treat myself to a new kayak or something, like you know, there's there's different levels of it, and I try to build rewards into each day because I'm a very like I like games, so I like to have an outcome, I like to have a little fun thing, you know, and that happens very quickly. Uh, if it's two years from now that I get the reward, I'm like, not doesn't not doing it, you know. So I I try to play into that knowledge of myself and do various types of rewards all the time. How about you?

SPEAKER_00 15:03

I love that you took this in that direction. That's not what I actually was asking, but it's perfect because I think it well, I think it's really important that we talk about um rewards and you know, like there's gotta be some like reward to all this hard work that we're doing and this good work that we're doing. And um rather than, you know, I think it used to be like work until you retire and then enjoy life. And I love the idea of building in, like, let's enjoy life uh along the way, because we may never get to retirement. We don't know, right? Um, but you also reminded me of a recent interview I did on a podcast, and she said, This is kind of a off topic, but related, is she said when she gets stuck in something, she stops and chops vegetables. And it rem when you said take a drink of water, like I love that idea because sometimes stepping away from our work to reward ourselves actually is giving back to our work and will fuel our work and inspire our work and on and on and on and on. What I was really asking was about what are the rewards of having commitments? And and I think it kind of falls in line with what we're talking about here is that when you have commitments to other places in your life, it has you show up and create um, you know, a day that is more balanced. You know, I think that people are seeking balance, but it I I really believe we create balance, and getting up to get a drink of water is a great way that we create balance, a really simple, small way, but it can have big benefits. Um yeah, that's what I was really asking, but it's kind of all ties together.

SPEAKER_01 17:03

Yeah, I'm uh I took it in a slightly more tactical direction as I tend to do, but hard. You know, like think thinking about it, and these are all things that mean different things to different people, right? But you know, your work days should be easier. Like you should have more energy at the end of the day for your family, for your friends, your hobbies. You should have less days where you're like, oh, I just gotta get to the couch, all I gotta do is get Netflix going. And you should have, you know, as much, if not more, success in your business or your job. Because when you're in control of your time and you've got a positive time mindset, you you've got a balanced identity, and you've given yourself permission to do what works for you, you're playing into your strengths, all that is adding up to is so that you can be as effective as possible when it's time for you to show up for work, whether it's your own business or whether you're an employee someplace. So it all will start to move itself towards even better things, business and life-wise, than you have today. And it just takes a little bit of work and discipline and action to get there.

SPEAKER_00 18:21

I love that. And I'm just gonna add to the list of benefits because that I've experienced those too, is like you're gonna have more time, you're gonna be making traction on the things that really matter that we, you know, that is so important. Um, and the energy piece is so important that there's a way to do and relate to time in a way that can actually help you increase and harness your energy and your aliveness, and that there can be more joy in the everyday, that we don't have to suffer through this. We can really create and design a way that allows for all of this and more joy in our life. I love it. So let's just recap. Um, we started with mindset and went to kind of our identity around time. And those two pieces were so vital because to make a deep change in the way that we do time or schedule ourselves or operate our days, it really requires the mindset and identity piece of like kind of breaking some of the old patterns and cycles that am thinking that just doesn't work anymore and doesn't feel good anymore, and invent new ways that allow us to to thrive. And then the the last two were around permission, which was so vital, right? And commitment. So takeaways for today around commitment. I think I mean I'll just start by saying, you know, take a look at the big rocks. You know, I I think it a week ago or so I was delivering a workshop and somebody said, like, how do I how do I create my life when I'm just feel like I'm surviving every day? And I reminded her that you're already creating and building something. It's just not being done with a lot of intention or purpose. And uh really we want to bring some intention and purpose around that. So take a look at what is most important to you? What do you I know you know some things you want to be heading towards and you want to build in your life and you want to look back and say, I made time for these things. What are those things that light you up and get you out of bed every day and bring joy and write those down? Anything you want to add, Kathy?

SPEAKER_01 20:44

Yeah, I love that. And I think, you know, a couple of things. Um, you know, what's one thing you can do today to achieve that list that you just wrote down, right? That you were just talking about. And then the other one is, you know, no, there's no way to dress it up or sugarcoat it. Like it's gonna be uncomfortable because you're gonna be making adjustments, you're gonna be um learning new habits that are moving you towards that life that you want to create and design. So just know that it's not gonna be comfortable, but that's okay. Like that's when you know progress is being made, is when you feel a little like you could either do this or vomit at any time, like flip a coin. That's that's when you're on the right track, at least in my experience.

SPEAKER_00 21:30

I love that. That's it's like learning to dance with it and learning to really know that that's an indicator that you're on to something new. You're you're making traction in new places and you're working your edges and creating something different. And that's what this is all about. Absolutely. Awesome.

SPEAKER_01 21:50

This has been so much fun, Carla. It's been, like I said before, we could talk, I think, for days on this stuff, but uh we'll work on that, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:59

Yeah, and see the show notes for some takeaways and action items that will kind of sum this up for you. Um, but I hope this has been valuable, so much fun, Kathy.

SPEAKER_01 22:13

All right, it's been a blast. Thanks, Carla.

SPEAKER_00 22:16

Thank you for tuning in to this episode of Differently. I hope it stirred your thinking, and I invite you to take one inspired action. If you want to get back in the driver's seat of your time, your inspired action this week might be to sign up for Time Camp. Camp starts soon. There are limited spots available. Put a link in the show notes where you can find all the details. We're packing our bags and getting all of our gear ready for you. And we can't wait to see you at Time Camp.