Less is More
Fill in the blank: I wish I had more _________________. What comes to mind: money? time? energy? stuff?
As I write these words I am on Day 18 of a 21 day cleanse. Nine of those days were limited to fruit smoothies, vegetable juice, and an occasional herbal tea (or less). One of the fundamental concepts of this cleanse is by giving your body less to digest, it gives more energy for healing. Personally, I have found a sense of freedom in this self-imposed limitation. There can be tremendous power in less.
Less is more.
"Real freedom is not the external freedom to gratify every appetite; it is the internal freedom not to be enslaved by our appetites." -John Ortberg
Less is more:
-Within the context of less there is freedom to explore EVERYTHING within the prescribed parameters. I ventured out my comfort zone took a trip to the local farmer's market- it was quite an experience. I ended up trying fruits and vegetables I never knew existed. I've had shots of wheat grass, ginger, lemon, cranberry juice and dragon fruit. It has been quite fun at times!
-When you give something up you are gaining something in return. Without the presence of sugar, meat, dairy, caffeine, and other "off-limit" substances, my body is better equipped to heal, cleanse, and rejuvenate. While I have consumed significantly less calories than normal, I have found myself tapping into more energy from sources I rarely utilize. Less of one thing means more of something else.
-Being less to less people may mean becoming more valuable. Less prospects may bring more focus and a higher closing ratio. Intentionally limit your market and you may become known as a specialist in your niche. The average general practitioner doctor earns $177,000, the average ophthalmologist: $377,000 (source: Bureau of Labor Statistics).
-Less time may mean getting more accomplished. Someone once said, "If it wasn't for the last minute, nothing would get done." This is an another way of stating the tendency to achieve more in less time as a deadline approaches.
-Less money for a vacation may yield more creativity.
-Less can be special. What do you think would happen to ratings if the Olympics took place every year?
“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who had practiced one kick 10,000 times.”-Bruce Lee
The opposite, more is less, also rings true quite often:
-Too much information. I am convinced we live in an ADD society due to the massive information overload that inundates us daily. More is less.
-Too much content. One if the challenges some trainers (including myself) experience, if putting too much content into a program. Similarly salespeople are often exacerbate about their products and services rather than being relevant and specific.
-Trying to do too much. Focus is increased when you plan, prioritize, and limit or eliminate distractions.
Too much money. Sound ludicrous? According to the TV show Lottery Changed My Life, 33% of lottery winners are bankrupt within 5 years.
-Excessive food, alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, and other obsessions (insert your favorite here)... more is not always better.
Consider limiting or eliminating select behaviors, substances, and/or activities- even for a limited period of time. You just might find less is more. There is so much I more I could write about this, but hey...
If you would like an outline of the cleanse, shoot me an email- doug@highachievers.com
Visit blog: http://highachieversnetwork.com/blog
Doug Grady has been studying and teaching the pathways to personal potential for over 20 years. Exciting, entertaining and enlightening are words invariably used to describe his unique seminars and workshops. Doug is an entrepreneur, musician, and author of The Ripple Effect. He is President of High Achievers, and is owner or co-owner of three additional companies. His companies, writings, trainings, and music are designed with one purpose: to help people reach their God-given potential.
Doug gives a significant portion of his time and money to local and global causes. He is a table leader at Peachtree Ironmen, dedicated to encouraging and equipping men to become a positive impact for Jesus at home, at work, and in the community. He has been on several mission trips, most recently to Guayaquil, Ecuador where was part of a twelve man team building homes for the poorest of the poor. Doug is an active member of Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, GA.