On Being Busy

I was struck the other day by a thought: why are people so busy but not accomplishing much? I let this brew for days but kept coming back to it.  I’m not sure I have fully thought this through yet, but I have come up with these conclusions. So far…

Some people are good thinkers and workers. They are doers. There comes a point though when they seem perturbed by the thinking, apparently shut it down and go on being busy. Hands are occupied. Body is in motion. Often the car is taken on a few of many errands. Chores are assembled and checked off the list one by one. It almost seems these persons are avoiding something, perhaps thinking to conclusions? Could this be it?

People driving down the road. Highway or secondary road in our own community. Not thinking acutely. You can tell because they are slow to get going once a traffic light has turned green. Or they follow a slow poke for 2 miles before attempting to pass them. they dither at parking lot entrances and parking slots as well. It is as though they are not fully aware of what they are doing. Are they merely keeping busy? For what purpose?

Small talk at the diner, or in the grocery line. Topics of daily discussion arise and people share their opinions. Someone almost always jumps in avidly to denounce one idea or another. They argue. They don’t particularly offer an idea that is a solution to the topic at hand, but the criticism is present nonetheless! Why? Are they really demonstrating their grasp of things, or creating a smoke screen so problems are left unsolved? Interesting. Wonder how true this is; or not!

Endless string of meetings of different groups. Their agendas are laid out carefully. Discussion occurs; some hot, some not. But conclusions are elusive. Solutions are not adopted. Discussion continues. Frustratingly it continues. The issue begs for completion. It begs for a solution. Why then do attendees not seek the possibilities? Are they afraid of appearing dense? Unable to think clearly? Absent some good ideas that might be useful?  Why do they leave so much important matter left unsolved?

Maybe they are afraid they will be appointed the task of doing the work. Could that be it?  Fear of taking responsibility?

I always found that getting involved builds interesting learning experiences. After the task was done I knew more and understood more than a lot of others. But that is because I was involved with the problem and wrestled it to a more manageable condition.

Who am I? Who are you? How can we possible know if we don’t think on these things?

Indeed. If we don’t think on these things we shut down our creativity in other areas.  When the act of creating is so much fun and interesting, why do we avoid it? Is the next newscast that important? Or the next crossword puzzle. Or maybe we just have to see the next installment of a TV series. I might miss something important.

I think not. I suspect avoidance is rampant in our lives if the above scenarios play out.

Sit down with a friend and find out from them directly what they think about various topics. The more local the topics the better! Learn how closely your ideas track with the other person’s. Make certain they see that as well. Then begin thinking on what things could be improved upon. And by whom. And when and with what resources. Pretty soon you might really have some ideas to share with others.

Don’t tell the other people those ideas. Share them slowly by asking them what their current thinking is on these problems or topics. Engage them in discussion. Try to make it a mutual exploration and act of discovery.

Pretty soon something good may come of all this. It is purposeful, isn’t it? It is creative and engaging. And you are not alone with your own thoughts. You are building on the ideas of others. You all have a stake in it.

You always did. So let’s make it apparent. Use the ideas.

Jean de La Fontaine shared this idea with the world:

            “A person often meets his destiny on the path he took to avoid it.”

Not bad! Now to turn that around and use it!

July 9, 2013