Ep 60 Busy vs. Productive: How to Stop Spinning Your Wheels and Start Achieving Your Goals

In this episode, Lori Gouhin tackles the common struggle: the endless cycle of busyness that keeps us feeling productive but doesn’t truly move the needle on our goals. If you’ve ever ended a packed week wondering what you actually accomplished, this episode is for you.

Lori shares insights on the root causes, such as avoiding discomfort and the fear of commitment, and provides actionable strategies to shift from busy work to true productivity. 

Lori emphasizes the importance of identifying true priorities, focusing creative energy on current challenges, and sticking with your goals long enough to see results. She also stresses the value of breaking down goals into manageable sprints and building accountability to stay committed.

Episode Highlights:

• The Illusion of Productivity: Why staying busy feels like progress, but actually isn’t
• Root Causes of Stagnation: How fear of discomfort, lack of commitment, and unclear goals hold us back.
• Breaking the Cycle: Strategies to identify priorities, focus your creative energy, and avoid jumping from one idea to the next.
• Sustainable Progress: Why consistency and sticking with your goals (even through plateaus) are the keys to breakthroughs.
• The Power of Mentorship: How having a coach, mentor, or partner can keep you on track.

Through real-life examples and actionable advice, Lori will help you shift from "busywork" to meaningful work that drives results. It’s not about doing more; it’s about doing what matters most.

Resource Mentioned:

• S1 Ep 59 Accountability Made Easy: 10 Strategies to Achieve Your Goals

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Transcript

[00:00:00] Lori Gouhin: Hello, my friends. I am so glad that you are here with me today, because today I want to talk about something that I know many of you can relate to. And that's being busy, but not actually making progress on what matters most. And I've been thinking about this a lot because just last week I had conversations with two different people who were feeling stuck in this exact way.

[00:00:53] In other words, they're doing so much. They're always busy. They're always working on something, but they aren't really moving forward on their goals. And honestly, I get it because I've certainly been there myself. There are plenty of times. with tasks that feel productive, but when I look back,I realize that I hadn't really moved the needle forward at all. And as a creative person, which I believe that we all are, by the way, it can be even trickier because there are so many ideas pulling at your attention that when one thing isn't working fast enough, it's easy to think, well, maybe I need to switch gears and try something else.

[00:01:32] But obviously, I agree. Constantly jumping from one idea to the next or filling your time with busy work is what actually holds you back. And so, I want to talk about how to spot it in your own life, and most importantly, how to start focusing your time and your energy on what will truly get you the results that you want in both your life and your business.

[00:01:54] Again, I know that we've all been there. Where our days are packed and our to do lists feel never ending, especially at this time of the year. And then at the end of the week, we're wondering, what did I actually accomplish? So why does this happen? Well, one reason is that being busy Gives us a false sense of productivity because when we're busy, it feels like we're doing the work, like we're being responsible and we're making progress, but the reality is not all work is created equal and some tasks move us closer to our goals while others just keep us in motion without getting anywhere and in business, this might look something like spending hours on your website design or the perfect logo Instead of actually connecting with potential clients and in relationships, it might look like organizing family events, but not addressing the deeper communication gaps that keep showing up. These are the kinds of activities that will make us feel like we're doing the work. But again, they don't actually create the outcomes that we want and we confuse activity with progress.

[00:03:00] This gets even more complicated because often we tend to have so many ideas like we talked about earlier And i'm sure again, you know that feeling you start working on something And when it doesn't seem to take off fast enough you start thinking Maybe this isn't the right idea. Maybe I need to switch to something else.

[00:03:17] And it's so tempting because it feels like you're staying productive, but what's really happening is that you're not giving your first idea enough time to grow. And then you start all over again with a new idea. And the cycle continues. I see this all the time.

[00:03:33] And honestly, I've fallen into this trap myself. I admit, there are times that I fill my calendar to avoid doing the things that are uncomfortable, like showing up and putting myself out there in ways that really mattered. It's so much easier to stay busy with the small stuff than it is to face the discomfort of doing the big stuff.

[00:03:52] But here's the thing. Those uncomfortable tasks. They're the ones that make the biggest difference. And so it's important to ask yourself, am I spending my time on things that truly matter? Or am I just keeping myself busy? Am I avoiding something uncomfortable by focusing on what feels [00:04:10] easier and safer?

[00:04:11] These tough questions are so important to start asking if you want to make meaningful progress. now let's talk about why this happens, because in my opinion, understanding the root cause of something is the only way to create a different outcome and not keep repeating the same result over and over. Just like in your health, we want to eliminate the root cause, not just treat the symptoms. So I think one big reason we fall into this pattern is to avoid discomfort because Again, let's be honest, so much of what moves us forward can be uncomfortable, whether it's having to be vulnerable in a conversation with a partner or asking for help or launching an idea into the world.

[00:04:53] These actions come with risk and fear, and it's easier to fill your time with the tasks that feel safe. Even if they're less impactful, it's like we trick ourselves into thinking, well, I'm still working hard, so it's okay. Another reason is the fear of commitment. And this one is especially difficult if you're someone who has a lot of ideas, because it can feel like committing to one thing means closing the door on everything else.

[00:05:19] There's this fear of missing out on what might happen if you explore a different idea. But in reality, when you don't commit, If you don't commit fully to anything, you end up half doing a lot of different things and none of them reach their full potential. And at the risk of sounding cliche, it's like planting a dozen seeds and watering them just enough to keep them alive, but not enough for any of them to bloom.

[00:05:43] There's also the lack of clear goals and planning. Without clarity, it's so easy to default to whatever feels urgent instead of what truly feels important.

[00:05:52] Without clarity, it's easy to default to whatever feels urgent instead of what's truly important. And without a clear plan, it's easy to get scattered. And this will lead to spreading yourself too thin and wondering why progress feels slow. Clarity is key, not just about what you're working toward, but also about how you're going to get there.

[00:06:13] Because without it, you wake up each day and think, what should I work on today? And end up putting out fires or tackling whatever feels urgent instead of focusing on what's truly important. And this often happens because we underestimate how long it takes for something to take hold, whether it's a new business or even a shift in how we approach a relationship.

[00:06:33] We expect instant results. And when we don't see them, we think this isn't working and move on to the next thing. But often the problem isn't the idea, it's that we didn't stick with it long enough for people to notice or for the work to pay off. And the good news is once you recognize that. What's causing this behavior, you can start making changes.

[00:06:53] And that's exactly what we'll talk about next. How to shift from being busy to being truly productive. It's not about doing more. It's about doing what matters most. So first identify your true priorities. What are the specific actions that will create meaningful progress for you? In relationships, this might mean carving out intentional time to talk about shared goals or addressing unresolved issues rather than focusing solely on day to day logistics or surface level conversations.

[00:07:22] And in business, it's likely tied outreach, to creation or refining what you've already started instead of jumping into something new.

[00:07:30] Also use your creative energy for solutions instead of diversions. If your mind is always buzzing with ideas. And that's a gift, by the way, learn to channel that creativity into solving challenges with your current focus, rather than jumping to that next shiny idea. For example, if you're working on growing your business and things aren't taking off as fast as you would hope, resist the urge to pivot too soon.

[00:07:56] Instead, ask yourself, what's one creative way I can make this idea work? Maybe it's tweaking your offer, trying a new marketing approach, or reaching out to someone for feedback. And the same goes for your relationships. If something feels stuck, don't immediately think this isn't working. Instead, ask what's one small shift I can make to improve this dynamic.

[00:08:18] Your creativity is such a [00:08:20] powerful tool. Use it to dig deeper into what's possible. I want to share one of my favorite strategies for staying focused, and that's breaking 90 day goals into 30 day sprints. And I love this approach because it gives you a clear target without feeling overwhelming.

[00:08:35] So let's say that you have a big 90 day Like launching a new offer or improving your health, choose one or two things that you can focus on for the next 30 days. What's one or two specific milestones you can work toward this month by focusing on these shorter sprints, you can build momentum and really see progress without getting distracted by everything else.

[00:08:58] So for example, If your goal is to deepen a relationship, your first 30 days might focus on improving communication by having one intentional conversation each day. And I know that might seem like a lot, but it doesn't have to be an hour long conversation. It can be a five minute conversation that's intentional.

[00:09:17] and has meaning behind it. Another reason this works so well is that it forces you to prioritize. When you only have 30 days to hit a milestone, you naturally will start asking, what's really going to move the needle here? And this will eliminate a lot of the busy work that fills up your schedule, but doesn't bring results.

[00:09:35] And finally, let's talk about sticking with things long enough to see results. This is one of the biggest challenges I see because we live in a world of instant gratification where we expect quick wins and many people give up on goals and ideas and their relationships because they don't see immediate results.

[00:09:53] But again, Most progress doesn't happen instantly. Results require consistent effort over time. And in your relationships, for example, meaningful change might come from small repeated actions like consistently showing empathy or following through on promisesWe're making an effort to understand the other person's needs.

[00:10:13] keep in mind, they won't always create immediate results, but over time they do build trust and connection. And in business, it's very similar. People often expect their efforts to pay off really quickly. And when they don't. They pivot too soon, but building visibility and trust and momentum takes longer than most of us expect.

[00:10:33] And this is why committing to a specific timeframe, like 90 days, can truly help. It allows you to stay focused and intentional without constantly questioning whether you should switch gears. And so take a minute and ask yourself, what's one thing you're currently working on that you might be tempted to pivot away from? How can you stay focused and use your creativity to solve challenges rather than running to the next idea?

[00:10:59] Another challenge I see is the expectation that success will follow a linear path. And so you might Start strong and then hit a plateau and you think something's gone wrong, but the plateaus are normal and often are a sign that you need to stay consistent rather than pivot. And this is where many people lose momentum and they give up or shift their focus when staying the course would have led to a breakthrough.

[00:11:24] It's also important to create systems to track your progress so that you can see how far you've come. Even if the ultimate results aren't visible yet, when you track small wins, it will help you stay motivated and reinforce that your efforts are adding up. You can start to see yourself building that value bank that will eventually spill over.

[00:11:43] And you can 

[00:11:44] recognize, that consistency isn't just about persistence. It's about showing up intentionally. That's the key word. Doing the same ineffective actions repeatedly That's not going to create any progress. So take the time to evaluate what's working and adjust your approach if necessary. And don't abandon your goals prematurely.

[00:12:06] And finally, one of the most overlooked strategies is to build in accountability. Because when you're the only person keeping track of your progress, it's easier to let things slide. Find someone who can hold you accountable, whether that's a coach, a mentor, or even a friend. Knowing that someone else is checking in on your progress can make a huge difference in staying committed.

[00:12:27] I did a whole episode last week on accountability. So [00:12:30] if you haven't listened to episode 59 yet, I highly recommend that you do. I understand it's easy to get discouraged when your progress feels slow. But that's often when you need to lean in the most. Remind yourself why you started and trust the process. So to wrap it up. I want you to take a moment to think about the patterns in your own life. Are you busy or are you focused?

[00:12:54] Are you chasing that feeling of being productive or are you doing the work that truly moves you closer to your goals?

[00:13:01] It's very easy to confuse being busy with progress, but the truth is, no one else can make this distinction for you. You have to be willing to slow down and ask yourself the hard questions. What do I really want to achieve? What am I willing to stay with, even when it's uncomfortable? Even when it's uncertain and even when it takes longer than I would like.

[00:13:25] Remember, your time and energy are finite. The way you use them reflects your values and priorities. If you find yourself pulled in a hundred different directions, it's not because you don't have enough time. It's because you haven't decided where your time is best spent. That decision is where your power lies.

[00:13:46] If there's one thing I hope that you take away from this episode, it's this. You don't need more ideas, more projects, more things on your plate. What you need is a clear focus and the discipline to see it through. When you learn to trust the process, when you stick with the hard and sometimes slow work of building something meaningful, that's when you'll start to see And so here's my challenge to you, pick one thing, just one and commit to it for the next 30 days, put aside everything else that's pulling at your attention, show up for it fully and intentionally, and then see what happens when you give your focus the time it deserves.

[00:14:28] and if this is something you're struggling with my goodness, you are definitely not alone. This is not about being perfect. It's about being willing to do the uncomfortable work of choosing what matters most. And if this resonates with you, I would love to hear your thoughts.

[00:14:44] What are you committing to over the next 30 days? Please reach out and let me know. And if you would like a coach and mentor to guide you through this, then my one to one personalized coaching might be just what you need. Let's have a conversation to see how I can support you.