How To Leverage Spontaneity And Serendipity (Barbell #13)

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I closed the previous article with the following statement: “eliminate the bad and the good will take care of itself.”

In other words, the only thing you can largely control is the ability not to go bust, broke, or wiped out of the game. Besides that, life presents opportunities and challenges unique to you that can bring you to places you could not fathom before. By being spontaneous and following the present moment during your unplanned time, you can go beyond your current understanding towards what resonates.

Below are some general tips for how to give up control and let the good things happen during your unplanned time:

Accept that you do not know what is coming but can figure it out as you go

You cannot predict the future, but you can make yourself prepared for it and be sure to figure it out as you go.

The main thing holding people back from abolishing predictions and scenario planning is the fear of not being able to act in the present moment. However, by surrendering to the present moment, you gain more awareness of what is happening around you. You break free from your bubble and effortlessly fix what is showing up.

As soon as you realize that you will figure out the best solution, no matter what happens, you can safely succumb to what is in front of you, which will give you a clear answer.

No judgment of whatever happens, because it is good

Once again, the distinction between planned time and unplanned time is crucial.

During your planned time, you already know what has worked before and can optimize. In this circumstance, you can focus on the quality, becoming more productive with less input, and other efficiency strategies.

However, during your unplanned time, the productivity and efficiency mindset no longer applies. You are now in full trial-and-error mode and do whatever you feel like, regardless of how “productive” it is. Binging Netflix or social media is not only ok, it is actively encouraged if that is what you want to do during that time.

Why is that? Because you can afford to get lost in rabbit holes. You are already reliable during your planned time. The best thing that can happen during your unplanned time is discovering the next equivalent to the internet.

The only thing you need to be aware of is to listen to yourself and whether you internally enjoy the activity. When stuck, check your options list for helpful suggestions on what to do.

Also, be sure to prevent yourself from ruin during that time. You do not want to throw yourself out of the windows or commit violence because you feel like it. Besides that, take all the risks you can muster since you are not wasting time.

You need unplanned time as redundancies and buffers for unforeseen events

It is so easy (especially for people like me) to timeblock the entire day without having any room for error.

This is a trap because it assumes everything will go perfectly to plan. In reality, it is not the case. The more time you have unplanned, the better equipped you are to handle crises that show up without dragging your mental sanity down.

According to the Theory of Constraints, having a large excess capacity is the key to ensuring reliable progress. This is why being busy is a dangerous signal since you do not have an excess of time. If you have too many things on your immediate plate, you are fragile to inevitable twists and turns that can make everything fall apart.

Therefore, limit the obligations to the essential. Reserve time for spontaneity, and you will be good to go, handling whatever happens.

Use your body to become spontaneous

For people like me who have difficulty being spontaneous, listening to your body is the way to do it. No further complication.

During your unplanned time, if you feel agitation and boredom, start doing something from your options list. If you feel tired and lethargic, stop everything and just relax. If you feel curiosity and anticipation, do the activity. If you procrastinate, choose another activity instead.

It is that simple.

Ironically, being more spontaneous will make you even more effective during your planned time. You do not need to be afraid of distractions and diversions since you will deal with them later during your unplanned time. You get to enjoy massive amounts of freedom together with solid progress.

However, there could still be emotional resistance. There could be old fears and limiting self-beliefs preventing you from acting unconditionally and celebrating the failures.

Tomorrow, we will discuss strategies to cope with this emotional resistance towards activities. Since the barbell system has removed the physical barriers, it is time to pay serious attention to the emotional ones.

If you like this article series, you will enjoy the full e-book (a full expansion on how to use the Barbell System in your daily life). Click here to learn more.

Originally published on my website The Total Living.