What Stuff Are You Collecting?

We go to a conference and we collect business cards and come home and put them in a pile - and the next time we go to an event we do the same thing and bring the cards home and add them to the pile. Maybe we connect with a few of the people - but mostly we end up collecting cards and are unable to find the one we need when we need it. Does this happen to you?

We get a recommendation for a book from a friend or a speaker or a reference in an article we are reading and go to a bookstore or on Amazon and get the book and when it arrives we put it on our desk or in a basket or on a pile of other books we want to read when we get some time to read.  The problem is that the precious time to read never comes - things are always getting in the way. So the books pile up and we become a book collector instead of a book reader.

We go on vacation and buy a trinket at every city or monument we visit.
We run marathons or perform a triathalon and get a t-shirt at every event.
We drink beer and collect the bottle caps.
We go to workshops and collect notes and workbooks.
We go to beaches and collect sand dollars, shells or rocks.

We are collecting and collecting. Some of the things make beautiful displays we enjoy every time we see them. Other collections sit there wanting and wishing to be enjoyed at a deeper level.

How can we ever get through the books and workshop books to enhance our personal growth? A bit of reflection on what you really want to learn about and what you need to apply right now to enhance your personal or professional life may help you sort through stacks to determine which book or workbook to start with. Thinking about that before signing up for a webinar, event or buying a book will help reduce the incoming and make your collections more manageable. Researching CRMs (Client Relationship Management) systems can help you stay in touch with your contacts. You are sure to find one that suits your needs with the number out there available.

Want more help with that? Look for my presentations on "MindFULLness for Peak Performance: The Cure for Infobesity" coming up soon under events at www.margaretajohnson.com or contact me for coaching on dealing with INFObesity - the overload of information - at margaret@ideasandbeyond.com.