This week, my admissions coaching clients are finishing up their applications for graduate school. One of the most common yet surprising reaction that some of them have is, “That’s it?!” when I tell them they are ready to submit. It’s like they don’t believe me when I tell them that their essays are beautiful, concise, compelling, authentic, and ready to go. I finally figured out why so many of them seem dubious when I tell them we’re all done.
It just seems too easy.
For example, one of my clients and I just met less than a month ago, and today she and I finished editing her exquisitely written essays for Harvard Business School.
“Are you sure we’re done?” she asked me doubtfully today on our call. “It seemed too easy!”
It seemed easy because she was ready, and for the parts for which she wasn’t fully ready, she found someone who understood her strengths and weaknesses (that’s me in case you were wondering) and we made sure she was ready together. And it was actually a lot of fun too!
Like my client “K” who found it hard to believe that applying to Harvard could be so “easy,” I too was resisting some “easy” blessings that were coming my way.
When the Kickstarter campaign for my book Be Your Own Boyfriend first started, I was working like a crazy person, doing any and everything I could think of to get people to pledge to the campaign. Deep down I knew it would be successful. There was no way my fabulously dedicated team members were going to let it not be successful. However, I was still working myself to the bone, striving to meet the $10,000 finish line. At one point, I even called one of the deans of my college and broke down crying from exhaustion, discouragement, and bewilderment. How could something that matters so much to me be so difficult? I wondered to myself and to him through my tears.
Then, I just surrendered and decided I couldn’t force the Kickstarter to work. I was going to do my best without making myself and my team sick or miserable, and then I was going to surrender. To me and my team’s surprise, we found that on the days when we didn’t worry about the Kickstarter, and didn’t stress ourselves with scheming up ways to get people interested enough to pledge, we received the same number of pledges or more.
Once we did our best to market and promote the Kickstarter campaign and then let it be easy, it was just that—easy.
In 2013, I want to step out of the way and let the things that I want in my life make their way to me. I’m not going to connect being exhausted and drained with achieving my goals and getting my heart’s desires.
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Do not connect being exhausted and drained with achieving your goals and getting your heart’s desires.
Whether it’s a healthy and loving relationship, selling copies of my first book, getting new clients, or developing a new course, I am going to let the things I want in my life come to me easily.
I love love love this!!!! I think everything should be approached this way, with a sort of calm about yourself. Less stress in 2013 will help everyone be healthier, happier and even more productive!!!
I will let all of life be more easy . . . work, dating, staying in shape. I am learning that if there is too much resistance, it’s often for a good reason. If it’s easy and gratifying, it’s often the right path at the right time. Good luck on your journey in 2013!!
I’d love to see updates throughout the year on how you are taking it easy.
I am going to take time and take it easy planning for this wedding and getting the jobs. The more I stress about both, the more awkward I feel in my own skin. So, none of that nonsense for me anymore!
In the past 24 hours, 4 different “easy” things have come my way. I was honest with a few people before Christmas about some things that need to change at work and in my personal life. And you know what . . . a lot of good news has come my way in the past 24 hours, because I was honest with myself and others.
I agree wholeheartedly. Too often we will let people talk us into the “faith without works is dead” philosophy. To many this means your the work must match your faith. I truly believe faith (believing in something bigger than you can ever do by yourself) is the power source that drives the work; not the other way around. Your revelation is just that–divine!! Rest in your work and keep believing in what you see!!