Overcoming Overwhelm
You can follow all the social media advice: routines, early mornings, hydration, exercise, planning, and all the other supposed “success hacks”. Yet, most will only find themselves back at square one - (again).
This is because the root cause often boils down to overwhelm. When you're juggling too much, or try to create overly elaborate “optimised” routines for everything; consistency falls apart.
The fix? One step at a time. One clear goal. One simple, basic objective.
Think of those starting the New Year with the goal of completing a marathon...
Many will invest in all the gear, create an elaborate training regime, embark on a diet of little more than dust and thinking about a Nando’s menu, daily yoga classes etc. They try to do as much as possible from right the start; but they burn out quickly.
Meanwhile, the person who simply focuses on putting a pair of trainers on, in nothing but their battered GCSE PE shirt, and getting out on a run an few times a week, running a little further each time; outlasts those who try to do too much too soon.
(The GCSE PE shirt is a true reflection of an MMA fighter I recently coached to claim his first Amateur title in Almighty Fight Championships)
This translates into any individual in any field with high motivation but no system in place, where diving in headfirst, working as intensely as possible on multiple projects all at once results in them quickly running through their motivation budget due to a lack of strategy or a prioritisation of consistency.
Over time - and repeated iterations - this leaves most frustrated and questioning/abandoning the goal itself, never reaching their true potential; when it was actually only the approach to the goal that needed rewiring.
Causes of Overwhelm
Clarity and consistency are essential, but if you’re reading and relating to this, chances are, you’re feeling neither; as without them, overwhelm takes over.
To fix that, we start with the reasons for overwhelm:
Unrealistic goals
Information overload ("paralysis by analysis")
Comparing yourself to others
Fear of failure
Second-guessing yourself
Perfectionism
Poor time management
Too many responsibilities
Emotional stress
Not saying “no” to unessentials
Overcomplicated or elaborate routines/strategies
The Cost of Overwhelm
When you’re overwhelmed, what happens?
Indecision becomes the theme, focus dissipates, motivation plummets, along with brain fog and memory problems
You feel helpless, irritable, and exhausted
You freeze and become unproductive
You turn to distractions like binge-watching, mindless scrolling, or snacking
Concentration diminishes, and decision-making becomes difficult
Sleep becomes elusive when you’re not at peace, impacting executive function and productivity
Your productivity tanks. Your social life disintegrates. Anxiety spikes. Fatigue settles in.
This is why meditation is commonly thrown into the conversation - it sharpens your awareness, calms the central nervous system, helps us focus and access memories better, and creates the mental space to realign ourselves with our values and purpose; two critical factors for sustaining drive and motivation.
Start with Values
The key to any successful pursuit should be to align your goals with who you actually are and what you truly value, not who you think you should be in a moment of excitement. Of course, everyone has their flaws, wherein some of who are you naturally you may wish to improve on, but the principle and question remains the same:
Who/What do you want to be?
The goal is to align your objectives with your true strengths and weaknesses, rather than chasing goals that aren’t in sync with who you are.
Too often, we pursue goals without reflecting on whether they align with the person we aspire to be. It’s essential to craft your objectives around your strengths, maximising what you do best, while focusing on developing the key areas where growth is crucial.
Misalignment, or neglecting these developmental needs, leads to procrastination and burnout.
Get Strategic
Once you have a clear vision of your ideal self - one that exploits your strengths while also addressing and developing the essential weaknesses that could hold you back - the aim is to break your goals down into objectives that are achievable and sustainable, whilst eliminating distractions.
Will a £150 pair of running trainers make you fit if you can’t run for more than 5 minutes without stopping?
No?
Then don’t spend 2 hours on Amazon trying to find the best pair, and get out on the pavement!
Is scrolling on social media going to address a core weakness that is holding you back?
No?
Then stop fucking around.
Do you need an exotic cocktail of “fat burning” supplements?
(Spoiler - they don’t exist)
Or do you need to stop eating shit and drinking 2 bottles of wine every weekend because you convince yourself that it’s an important part of “networking”?
Often, we dive into new goals with excitement but little understanding of the most critical “needle movers”, only to lose momentum when it becomes unsustainable. Momentum is crucial to performance, and doing too much too soon the enemy of momentum; and the most common reason for doing too much is a lack of reflection of the things that actually matter.
Clarity Matters
It all comes back to clarity.
When you understand your vision and what truly aligns with it, you can set focused goals and stay consistent in pursuing them. It takes time to achieve this level of self-awareness, but once you do, the results are transformative. And the sense of freedom that comes with it is unparalleled.
And it all starts with one word:
“No”
Be brutal with your time.
Spend it wisely, and you’ll find the peace and clarity you’re looking for.