I wrote this back in April 2022:
We live in a society now where there is so much pressure to do well; to be your best; to shine. It’s not easy. But sometimes the message doesn’t have to be ‘you are awesome’, ‘you have so much potential’, or ‘push yourself’. Sometimes the message of ‘just show up’ is all we need to hear.
- Don’t plan an hour workout, just show up at the gym.
- Don’t worry about how much you have to do, just start.
- Don’t create a huge ‘to do’ list, pick 2-3 things you know you can get done and check those off… even if showing up is one of those things!
It’s easier to act your way into a new way of thinking, than thinking your way into a new way of acting. ~Richard Pascale
Just show up!
In a coffee shop with a friend today we were discussing the value of ‘Just showing up‘, and he asked the very rich question, “What are you showing up for?”
Two things come to mind and they are related:
- For the habit; and
- For the accomplishment.
When your attitude is ‘just show up’ you often end up doing more than you expect. A perfect example is exercise. “I don’t feel like working out today” is not showing up! But “I don’t feel like working out today so I’ll just walk on the treadmill for 10 minutes…” This is ‘just showing up’! And if you only do 10 minutes, that’s great! You weren’t feeling up to doing anything and you accomplished a short workout. Fantastic!
But what also might happen is you could finish that 10 minutes and add another 10 minutes because now you’re feeling pretty good about it. You could decide you’re just going to do a walk and then you end up doing a run. You could finish the 10 minutes and then do 15 or 20 minutes of stretching that you wouldn’t have done had you not got on the treadmill in the first place.
So instead of not showing up and skipping the workout you have both maintained the habit and you’ve also accomplished something to feel good about.
What are you showing up for? Consistency: Habit reinforced; Accomplishment achieved.
