Starting out in marketing my business, I tried everything.
I was an expert editor for Nerdwallet
I did a weekly news program on money
I joined a random women’s group
I bought email lists
I had no idea what I was doing.
Then there were a few defining moments that took place all within a few months of each other.
I learned I was doing random acts of marketing and learned from others how to sharpen my focus.
I cut out non-essential activities.
The absence of clutter and by saying no to my random acts, I freed up energy and space for growth.
And everything changed.
This experience can best be summarized by the story of Homer’s Odyssey which happened here in Italy.
In the classic story, Odysseus is trying to go home after fighting in wars and traveling around the ancient world.
Below is summarized by Andrew Ryder.
At one point, his ship was headed towards the rocky island home of the sirens.
Sirens were Mermaid-like creatures with beautiful singing voices.
Their songs would entrance sailors, causing them to crash their ships on the rocks.
And the sailors quickly became lunch.
Knowing this, Odysseus had his crew tie him to the mast of his ship so that he wouldn’t be able to steer the ship towards the rocks.
And they passed safely.
I love this story because it’s the battle that we face every day as business owners, workers, and as managers of our households.
Like Odysseus, we find ourselves trying to resist temptation and stay on course towards home. Towards what we want to accomplish.
But it’s easier said than done. We all have our sirens. And the modern world is better than ever before at distracting us.
To teach you to tie yourself to the mast of your ship.
There is no other way to resist the allure of the sirens.
The only way to survive in this modern world is to learn to strap yourself to the mast.
Develop rules. Put your phone on airplane mode. Unplug your internet. Do whatever you have to do to protect your attention and focus on what truly matters to you.
A minimalist lifestyle promotes a sense of calm, reduces stress, and allows us to focus on what truly brings us joy and fulfillment. It encourages us to prioritize experiences, relationships, and personal growth over material possessions.
And you’ll need to strap yourself to the mast if you’re going to make it work for you.
One thing that has made me so much happier and productive is just saying no.
Sometimes working with an adviser can help you declutter your financial life and invest for your future.
Thank you for reading!!
Tiffany Kent
Empowering women to take control of their future!
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