PhotoCredit: NeverSleep
When I moved to New York I learned the lesson of the trade off. You can have a view, if you live In the cultural dead-zone. You can be in the heart of everything awesome, if you don't mind a closet for an apartment. You can live close to the museums with no (decent) supermarkets, or in the gallery district with distant subway access (and no supermarkets).
Trade Offs. Sigh. I had to choose. Perfect didn't exist. It became about what was most important to me.
I ultimately chose culture and quiet with some good restaurants over view, subway and supermarkets. In case you were wondering.
"Life is like a box of chocolates." Well, maybe. I think life is a series of trade offs. We need to choose what we want the most, and focus on that, dispensing with the false premise that we can have it all.
And I say this not from a place of deprivation but from the perspective of deciding where I will place my energy and focus. There are only so many things we can achieve well. As Cal Newport (I think it was him) says "If you can't say no, you need a bigger yes."
What is your BIG yes?
Maybe this week you can have a look at that master to-do list, or your goals for the year, or your personal wish list - and remove a few things. Be brave even and cut it in half?
It's helpful to take a few things off the list. Even if just for the next six months. Give yourself a break, allow yourself to focus. Make the trade off.