To-Do vs. Inspired-to-Do

I’m a solopreneur who enjoys what I do; so I was amazed when I woke one morning not wanting to do any of it! I had to assess what had happened and flip it.

It started the prior week, and proved to be a needed reminder of what I’d discovered about to-do vs. inspired-to-do, and temporarily forgot.

I had my usual projects and tasks to attend to, as well as new ones. Added to this were concerns about several people I love. It was easy to become involved emotionally (stressed).

When stressed, our tendency is to attempt to do everything as though nothing is different. When extra stress visits us, it’s important to adjust something, even temporarily. That’s not the mainstream approach, but it’s a wiser one.

There was much to do or think about (or so I thought)—familiar to you, I’m sure. I felt so compelled to take action as soon as I woke I left off my morning meditation (even five minutes makes a difference). I grew exhausted from pushing myself to do rather than trust what I felt inspired to do; and looking at my to-do list made me feel more stressed.

I finally decided I’d address any genuine priority, and take a little time off, knowing everything else would still be there after I’d recharged my energy (and attitude) and was ready to resume. Only, after I took time off, I didn’t feel like resuming any of it. I was in mini-burnout. How had I done that to myself?

For the last year, I’ve been following a different daily format: I do primarily what I feel inspired and motivated to do (aligned with what I truly want) rather than take action from a rigid, prioritized to-do list. I can easily imagine gasps from proponents of goal-setting, prioritized list making, and outcome-driven methods as the means to achieve success (and so we appear a certain way to others—let’s not leave out this particular motivation that can lead us astray from our authentic Self experience). I caused the mini-burnout because I’d drifted from my “I feel inspired and motivated to do” to “I must do . . . and do and do” mentality. It didn’t feel good.

The truth is that not everything on my list had to be done or done then—that’s just where my energy was.

Yes, I make lists. I have life matters that need my attention. I have regular and new projects all the time—of my choosing. I know what needs to be done and by when; but I also allow for intuitive nudges, in either direction (they’re always right).

If I consider any logical strategy (to-do) that “should” lead to an outcome I “should” desire, but I don’t feel a zing in my heart, mind, and energy (inspired motivation to do), I’m thinking from a solely outcome-driven perspective (fix or change something) rather than a “What do I want to feel and experience” one (create something I want). It’s a matter of switching outcome-driven for driven by desired experiences, or at least including the latter as an equally important half of the equation. It may seem counterintuitive to follow this path. It certainly contrasts in part what many success gurus say you “must” do.

When I follow what I feel inspired and motivated to do (including rest), I get inspired ideas and other good things come to me—because I’m not too busy (especially mentally) to be open to receive—to be a “magnet” for or creator of desired experiences. And, because I’m aligned at the inner level with a desired experience, what comes to me via the outer level supports this. And, it’s not stressful!

This allows me to be more of who I really am, to give what I truly want to give and enjoy giving it. I experience expanded clarity and pleasant surprises that fit my desired experience rather than extraneous stress from trying to force anything to fit a desired outcome—or striving for an outcome that’s not 100 percent my desire.

Learning to trust what you feel inspired and motivated to do has an adjustment period involved because you can feel timid or downright scared to trust this process will work—even if you’ve thought it’s how you’d like to be and live.

We question why we’re here—our purpose. Which do you think it is for you—to rack up outcomes or to fully engage experiences and evolve through these engagements? A combination? A to-do mentality will achieve outcomes; an inspired-to-do mentality achieves outcomes and more. Plus, you feel enthused and energized rather than stressed or burned out. My life has been a different experience for me since I began to live this way, and is why the “flip” felt so bad.

As soon as I resumed my new approach, everything improved; and I certainly felt my inspired enthusiasm again.

If you’d like to reprint this article, you can. Just use my bio as a complete statement.