GSD with Energy

Powerfully Choosing to Manage Energy

In a recent post, I was busting some GSD myths such as, GSDers are always doing or always taking action.  I transparently shared that I’m actively living this out in a new journey for myself.  I was pondering that as we powerfully choose to take action or not to take action, to BE vs DO, or to be intentional and purposeful, not only are we powerfully choosing who to share our superpowers with, but we are intentionally managing our energy and effort.

In our current society, there are so many different cords and attachments fighting for our attention – good, bad, or indifferent.  We live in a time when everything is constant, immediate gratification, and time just seems to be going faster and faster.  As humans, we are being expected to do more and more and more, and this is prevalent as we see mental health and burnout on the rise.

I’ve learned that what makes GSDers so impactful and authentic is that they can discern when to GSD and when not to. They know when something needs urgency and when it doesn’t.  They GSD with purpose and intentionality; they have incredible intuition from learned experiences and have learned the power of restraint.  There are some situations, some individuals that don’t deserve our superpower of getting sh*t done.

GSDers are highly productive and achieving individuals.  If they give an effort of 75%, that usually is the 100% effort of a non-GSDer.  Watch out when a GSDer gives 100% effort because it’s going to be more like 150%.  Pre-burnout, I thought I had to be running at my 100% GSD effort 100% of the time, and that was simply not the case.  The biggest lesson I took during my burnout recovery was that there is a level of effort and energy that I have to manage.  Once I have decided that someone, an organization, or a project deserves my superpower of getting sh*t done, I then discern my level of energy and effort they will receive.

This is obviously a topic resonating with many influential leaders at this time, and in a recent post, Erin Gallagher talked about a vetting process that she follows:

Could I do this?  Do I have the time and energy to put towards it?

Should I do this?  Is this a good use of my time and energy?

Would I do this?  Is this something I even want to put my time and energy towards?

These questions are powerful, simple, and easy to remember.  As we learn to navigate how to powerfully choose how we manage our effort and to whom we extend our energy, we must remember to trust our intuition and honor our unapologetic true authentic selves.  This process will not fail.  May you discern who and when deserves your superpower of getting sh*t done.