Warren Buffet is quoted as saying: “Busy is the new stupid.” I can think of a CEO client who told me early on: “I can’t take advantage of all the opportunities I have in front of me”. He changed some things and after a few years revenues have increased by $100 million. That begins with changing the story.

These too busy guys, once they slow down and really isolate the situation, will confess that too busy is a terrible idea. That it impairs their leadership and reduces their effectiveness. That it’s costing them their lives.

But they don’t know how to change. They’ve tried. They’ve thought about it and been frustrated by it. The thing is they cannot change from their “old too busy story”. They’ll never figure it out so they’ll always be too busy. That’s why people talk so longingly about their next vacation. Their next chance to recharge. Ouch!

On the other hand, once they change that inner story everything changes. Imagine if somehow, some way, my new story became. “I guard my time. I’m learning to slow down to create more.” It’s a bigger new story than just that, but that makes the point.

Do this

• If you’re too busy, and you probably are, go back and work through all the emails in this series up until now. Focus on your workload and the stress that comes with it.


• Once you’ve done that well, slowed down, and really let it flow through, you’ll know the cost of being too busy. You’ll perhaps be ready to make a serious commitment to creating something better.


• Start working backwards. There is nothing like a pen and pad for this. What are your stories? Stories of how you were raised, your mom and dad, what you’ve always done, what others will think, and fear. Look at the fear. Fear that things will go wrong, backwards, get worse, whatever it is. It wouldn’t be unheard of for someone to fear, it will all fall apart, at a deep level, even when they have a $100 million balance sheet.


• Replace that story. You can do that. Takes practice for it to really take hold. Write out your new story. Tape it to your mirror. Start living into it.


• As you do, start also looking at your thoughts and decisions. Might you see a step or two to take? Once out of the box of the old story, you’re free to create what you truly want.

I think we can all recognize there is only so far we can go with a 500-word email. And know that this is life-changing if you’ll really jump into it. I do this with clients all the time and see their businesses and their lives begin to flourish way beyond where they were before.

For next week, I’m thinking I’ll go one more in this “too busy” theme. It’s such a common – almost a stranglehold – that readers could really benefit.