“Intensity is the price of excellence” – Warren Buffett
Happy New Year! I trust you had a reflective and joy filled time with your loved ones. And if you were unable to spend time with your loved ones, you took some time to rest, reflect and plan for next year.
I spent time with my loved ones in Lagos, Nigeria and it was a great time of bonding, laughter, reflections and not to leave enjoying out some great food.
I was at a bookshop sometime back and I stumbled across a book on fitness – Pretty Intense. I was so enamoured by the simplicity but wholesome approach the author had fitness. While still mulling over the modifications I would have to make in my fitness routine as a result of reading the book, I was hit again by this adjective “Intensity” during the several online courses I have taken in the past few days. I realized that I also needed to incorporate more intensity not just in my fitness routine but in my 3 other priorities in 2020.
Intensity according to dictionary.com means great energy, strength, etc as of activity, thought or feeling. Synonyms of intensity include passion, emotion, energy, vigor. To help you even get a better understanding, the opposite of intensity is being laid back. Dictionary.com defines laid-back as relaxed, unhurried.
“Do not try to do extraordinary things, but do ordinary things with intensity” – Emily Carr
I will further explain the concept of intensity using the analogy of working out in the gym. An intense workout comprises of reaching up to your 80% of your heart rate during your cardio within 30 minutes. It could also be challenging yourself to lift heavier weights, albeit less number of reps for 20mins. Compare this workout to a laid back workout – where one is on the treadmill for 2 hours strolling at 2.5 miles/hour while reading a magazine.
Research has shown (Pretty Intense book – pg 102) that those who were involved in high intensity exercise in 15 weeks lost an average of 2.5kg of pure fat overall and about 3 pounds of belly fat, while those who did laid back exercises (steady-state workout) gained a little bit of fat!
Being intense in the workout analogy also involves being in the present – concentrating on the present activity and applying your full self to have the best workout in the allotted time.
This analogy can be applied to applying some intensity to your priorities to achieve excellence in your 2020 priorities.
Some thoughts to consider as you set your priorities for this quarter and rest of the year:
- Be focused on 3-5 major priorities – You cannot be intense with 20 priorities. This is because you spread yourself too thin and become ineffective.
- Stretch yourself to take up more challenges.
- Make effective use and be accountable for each hour spent. An intense hour leads to an intense day will leads to an intense week and so on.
- It is important to be balanced in applying intensity to your priorities. An overly intense life could lead to additional stress which can be harmful. As a result it is important to incorporate regular breaks in your days, and regular vacations through out the year for some rest and recharge.
Question: Which 3 areas can you be more intense about this year?