…or at least these 6. I had a small video project to do.  I’ve never done  a video.  I have a Flip Video camera . I wrote the script.  I was ready to go.  But, I had a zillion other things to do as well.  So, I ended up getting pretty much nothing done.  I just couldn’t get motivated.  It occurred to me that how I approached this porject is not unique to how I approach other new, challenges.  In the hopes of helping you avoid having a similar experience, I want to share what went wrong.

1.  I didn’t set a deadline.  I never committed to getting the video done by a specific time.

2.  I didn’t determine my priorities.  Each time I’d think about working on the video, thoughts of another project crept in to my head and I’d get distracted.  I’d tell myself I’d do the video as soon as I finished x, y and z.  By the time I did those things, plus anything else that came along, it was too late to do the video.  At the end of the day, I was exhausted but felt as if I hadn’t accomplished the important things I needed to get done.

3.  I picked the low hanging fruit.  In my overwhelm, I worked on and completed the easiest, most obvious and urgent, short term projects, leaving the more challenging, complex, strategic, important long term things undone.

4.  I tried to do it alone.  Instead of asking for help, I struggled to figure out how to set up for the shoot and do it by myself.  As a result, I had ‘takes’ where my head wasn’t in the picture, there was dead air between the time I pressed the record button and got into position.

5.  I insisted on perfection, which, I actually never achieved (no kidding!)  When I finally focused on filming the video, I redid it over and over and over and over and over… I spent hours over multiple days filming a 5 minute segment.

6.  I had a constant stream of negative chatter going on in my head about the whole process which I let discourage and derail me.

Well, it’s finally done now.  And, I learned a lot of lessons in the process.  Maybe next time, I won’t make the same mistakes.  Maybe I won’t break all the rules.  And, with more awareness and practice, maybe eventually, I won’t break any.  At the very least, by sharing my experience, maybe I’ll help you avoid some of the pitfalls of doing something new.

The other day, someone asked me, ‘what are your gifts?’  I went blank.  I know I have skills and talents and I’m successful, my most standards…but what are my gifts?  Is there some one or two things that I can do that really stands out?  that I’m ‘known’ for?  that drives me or attracts others to me?  I’m creative, although I never thought I was, I’m a good listener, I’m smart, I have a good sense of humor, I’m good at helping others identify their gifts.  So then, it occurred to me, my gift is my heart.  I am happiest and most effective when I am connecting with others, I mean deeply connecting, contributing to them in a way that makes them shine a little brighter.  Then I got a severe case of the “always”.  I said to myself, I don’t always come from my heart.  If you asked my kids, they wouldn’t see it that way, and some of my friends and members of some of my communities, or my family.  But, I also realized that when I’m not using my the gift of my heart, when I’m coming from anger or fear or insecurity,  I am less satisfied, less fulfilled and less effective.   I’m lucky, because I get to do work that utilizes my gifts.  What are your gifts?  What are you doing that puts those gifts to their best use?  Recognizing and embracing your gifts can help you make changes that are aligned with your true self and lead to greater happiness.