An Invitation for High Achievers (the doers)

What would it be like to do something without focusing on the outcome? How might you approach, engage in, and even immerse yourself more fully if you let go of the attachment to the result? These questions came to mind as I was journaling through what felt like a week-long energy drain. I simply had no desire to get up and start my day. It wasn't depression, but more of a feeling of being "bleh" and unsatisfied with life.

As I journaled, I started to examine different areas of my life. I noticed I was treating everything like a checklist. Sound familiar? See friends? Check. Eat healthy food to stay in shape? Check. Then, through a moment of curiosity and presence, those earlier questions popped back into my head. What would it look and feel like to spend time with friends, without any other goal (like "getting out of the house")?

Suddenly, the answers came easily. I would be more present, listen more actively, and genuinely be curious about their lives. It would be like meeting them for the first time! I would ask questions because I truly wanted to know their answers, and share what was really on my mind, not just go through the usual "how’s work, dating, family" routine.

I explored the same idea with cooking and meal planning. What if I focused on what would bring me true satisfaction, instead of just eating healthy to stay fit? I would listen to my body and tune into what meal sounded truly delightful. Then, I would gather the ingredients intentionally through the grocery aisle, arrange them in my kitchen, put on some music that matched the mood, notice the scents consuming my space, and savor the experience of creating a meal I really wanted.

Something interesting happened as I journaled. That heavy feeling of discontent lifted, and a sense of excitement and exploration sparked within me, energizing me for the day. Can you feel the difference? By disconnecting from the outcome, you can surrender to the process, shifting from checklist-doing to a human being, emphasis on being. You give your outcome-focused brain a break and tap into a more embodied experience. Both approaches are important. Life—work, parenting, adulting—is already filled with checklists, deadlines, and goals. That's just part of it. But we don't have to apply that approach to everything.

There's an opening here, an invitation to do something just for the sheer joy of it, without any attachment to the outcome. So, I invite you to ask yourself: What will bring me satisfaction today? What can I do with more focus on the process than the result? Then ask yourself, what was that like for me? What did I notice within myself in engaging this way?  Explore for the sake of being human, for the sake of living, for connecting to your innate childlike sense of wonder. Will you give it a try? So what’s the invitation? The invitation is returning to your humanness.