Difficulty is subject to interpretation. A “sticky situation” can be the crucible that refines a stronger metal, thus reframing the occurrence as a breeding ground for growth. Through a congruent lens of optimism, my lifestyle balance between entrepreneurship and scholastics only heightens my productivity. Initially, this situation may display two motives tearing at each other for attention. However, building a business and ameliorating a transcript need not pose as intellectual foes. Rather, they can instill in a youth an importance and appreciation for priorities which otherwise would remain dormant for years. The challenge of running, creating content for and innovating a business that empowers others and succeeding at a university level education sets a high bar. This call to be more than expected can incur tears of complacence or consistent effort in pursuit of my desired goal. This standard shocked my prior understandings and practices of productivity, and disintegrated anything less than a staunch determination to maintain a positive and purpose-driven attitude.
On the beginning of this journey, I did not see myself as the most productive individual. My brother Marc is the model of such ideal as he manages emails, coaches individuals on how to build a social media empire, prospers incredibly in junior year of high school and provides peak content for his 181,000 Twitter followers. His twelve Amazon published books supplants his legacy as an ultra-productive Business Whiz Kid. On the other hand, I entered the business-academics balance with my familiar tactics for accomplishing tasks, only to learn they no longer suffice. In order to balance both entities, I had to become more mentally and physically than before. As the demands mounted, I learned the power of simple resource management systems. For example, penning my responsibilities on an index card linked me to a past association that empowered my mindset in the present. I linked index cards to productivity as a child. They were my tool to study for quizzes and tests, bearing strong results in middle and high school. Embedded from years of effective use, an index card became the place to write down my activities that needed attention. In retrospect, the intellectual tie between these cards and action propelled me.
However, I can learn many methods to accomplish my tasks, but if I lack the mindset, my efforts will be fruitless. This realization spawned a mental evolution of how I must see myself. Originally, the dominant belief was, “If a business demands you to perform four times as many items as usual, you must become four times better than you are now.” I still occasionally revisit this belief as it has served me before (again I gather comfort from a past understanding that I associate with success). Now, the focus has evolved into, “If I could only complete one task today, which would it be?” Singularity of focus provides for uplifting direction when reviewing the tasks one must complete. Rather than start six projects and have them idle half-baked, I dedicate myself to one. This can be difficult since old patterns of lesser productivity try to invite watered down performance. The most potent temptation of the antiquated frameworks is familiarity. It is easy to wade down into the comforting pit of complacency where the notion of challenge has no residence. However, just as atrophic muscles are born from non-activity, weakened productivity arises from the absence of challenge. Hence, I strive to manifest stellar results in the two fields.
Nuancing into principles, I discovered that intellectual limits are self-imposed. Years ago, I believed that there was a number of tasks I should complete in a day, and past that threshold, my quality of execution would only decline. I relied on my body to cue the peak. Afterwards, motivation to continue was neutralized so as not to compromise effectiveness. This is not an empowering sentiment. Through reflection, I discovered that mental growth is a requisite for higher performance. Just as an individual reorganizes furniture in a room, I redesigned my mental beliefs lest I snare myself in outdated intellectual paradigms. The process of uncapping my daily potential empowered my mind and body. Sensing a conceptual and corporal shift, I began acting in my novel belief. My productivity has increased as a result of mentally unhinging my hindrances. “I Choose” became and remains my psychological center. I decide to be tired, energetic, fearful, upbeat, or beat up. Negative information can be interpreted as positive, while positive information can be viewed as disempowering. Each individual makes these choices; anyone believes that they do not have free will does not, and has simultaneously given up the most powerful attribute they could have possessed. My lifestyle is rooted in self-improvement, which others may view as painful, intellectually tedious or a “sticky situation”. Their perception is strengthened by the fact that I must balance scholastics with business responsibilities. In their eyes, I “get out” of that sticky situation by adopting new practices and beliefs that empower me. In my view, I just choose an elevated life, the mindset and methods of which I teach others through my business Business Whiz Kids.
