We become what we do

At a recent business meeting, we discussed time blocking, scheduling and the fact that many of us are extremely inundated. Especially, now that we exist in a hybrid environment mixed with both Zoom and in-person meetings. This is a group of high achieving executives that gather each month to keep each other accountable, discuss current economic trends and share great habits. Most people in the room have the same mindset and feel that they habitually bite-off more than they can chew. However, each have each learned to live this way because hard work and grinding are necessary for success. If you are successful, chances are extremely high that you will feel a bit overwhelmed on a consistent basis.

Then, one of the members of the group made an unexpected statement after the meeting had adjourned. Sometimes we need to slow down and remember that we are human beings, not human doings.

Although the saying was clever, I explained that I disagreed completely. We become what we do. Therefore we actually are human doings.

Engaging in consistent activity, not only brings us closer to our goals, but also changes us. If you work out consistently, then you will physically change. You will be in better shape than you were before you started your workout program. Therefore, you will have become someone different than you were.

Additionally, we are who we are only for a small moment in time. When the moment changes, we change based on what we are doing. If you are reading this, then you are changing because you now have different information at your disposal than you did before you started reading. If you would have been doing something else, like watching TV then you would be different then you are now because you would have been doing a different activity and taking in different information.

Instead of understanding that we are constantly evolving and changing based upon our activities, most people are too attached to who they are. We can continuously reprogram ourselves to change and grow in the direction we are heading based upon what we choose to fill our time with. So, if you want to be a high achiever then you must do what high achievers do. You will often feel overwhelmed, often feel uncomfortable, and you will often feel like a fraud. But, the more you challenge yourself to do what you don’t think you can, the closer you move to becoming the person you seek to become…and, remember, you will always have room to become even more.