Biting Off More Than You Can Chew

Find Your Chokepoint And Learn From It

Find Your Chokepoint And Learn From It

Garth Beyer

Chokepoint Chokehold

When you begin having more followers than you can handle, more orders than you can supply, more promises than you can keep up with, and you’re feeling the stress of it all – you’ve reached your chokepoint. It’s a positive thing to know where that point is for two reasons.

It’s a reminder that you can stop trying for quantity, and to start focusing on quality.

I’ve written multiple blog posts in one day. I’ve crashed more time’s I would like to admit. I’ve bitten off more than I can chew. I’ve learned from all of these moments.

There’s a reason I only write one post a day. There’s a reason I take a walk, do yoga or meditate each day. There’s a reason I stretch, before I take on a large workload. I’m not saying don’t make my same mistakes. I’m saying make sure you learn from your own chokepoint. The chokepoint is only a negative, detrimental phase if you stay there.

The chokepoint also reminds you that you’re human. When you recognize your chokepoint, your style of writing, interacting, working, changes. You think more on a personal level. By becoming more aware of how you spend your time, you also consider the time of your audience. By default, it will be easier for you to connect with people.

 

Stay Positive & Everyone Pushes Themselves Too Hard From Time To Time, It’s Okay

(as long as you learn from it)

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Give In. No, Really.

Garth Beyer

There’s a million reasons why we surround ourselves by loved ones. Some obvious. Others, not so much. One reason in particular is to allow us to admit defeat but benefit from it.

Let me explain.

From time to time, our loved ones who support us, who helps us, and even, at times, look up to us, turn sour. Our loved ones are often “more knowledgable and experienced,” leading them to have a “realist” opinion of our decisions. In other words, sometimes those closest to us can be downright negative and even hurtful.

They will tell you that you are getting yourself in too deep, that you’re jumping the gun, that you can’t handle something, or it’s too much for you to chew. Now, I suck at math, but I ace’d statistics. If people who care about you – enough of them – are suggesting that you take a step back, take a breather, go with the easier option, if they tell you that you are pushing yourself too hard. Listen.

If you have one, two, or three loved ones suggesting it, maybe you should at least consider their option. If you have four or more loved ones advocating that you take that step back. Listen.

Yes, people who love you most are also those who worry more than they should. But this is as much of a reminder to listen to your loved ones as it is to make sure they hold you accountable.

Nothing is worse than letting loved ones down. But there’s a difference between that and having them being happy that you let yourself down.

 

Stay Positive & Sometimes People Look Up To You More When You Give In

Garth E. Beyer

Biting Off More Than You Can Chew

Garth Beyer

The adage goes: don’t bite off more than you can chew.

I’m not going to argue that. In fact, it’s literally impossible to bite off more than you can chew.

I’ve hacked this adage though.

The other day my mother said I was crazy. (Not surprising. I get it often, actually.) Then she said, “I’ve never heard of anyone intentionally trying to bite off more than they can chew.”

That’s me, Bigmouth. Not really though, I’m fairly humble. But she is right, it is intentional. I’m working a 40+ hour job, going to school with 15 credits at UW Madison, doing some freelance work, working my magic as VP of Public Relations for Toastmasters, also working my magic as VP of Chapter Relations for the PRSSA Conference Committee, finding time to workout at least 3 days a week, giving speeches, going out on the weekends, and still getting around 6-8 hours of sleep each night.

That’s all fun, but not yet crazy (by my standards). What I mentioned above is a packed schedule. What warrants the title of “crazy” is that, although I know that my schedule is packed, I’m still adding more. I’ve applied to be a Transfer Ambassador beginning in a couple of months, I’ve made the committment to write a blog post every day and freewrite for 15 minutes (nonstop) 5 days a week. I’m offering my hand, my arm, my legs, my back, left and right to friends and those who ask for help; I don’t remember the last opportunity that I had passed up.

Hacking the adage: I started by taking a bite that filled my mouth but still allowed me to chew, if only just a tiny bit. The moment after I started to chew, I took another bite, chewed, took another bite, chewed… and so on. I’ve intentionally committed to too much in small intervals. I based my actions on the idea of adaptation.

To keep with the analogy, after each bite, my cheeks are stretching, my jaw muscles are loosening up more, and I’m able to take another little bite. It’s not about biting off more than you can chew, it’s about biting off as much as you can chew, then biting off a bit more again and again.

It’s truly amazing how much we are all capable of doing. It’s truly amazing that we all have 24 hours in a day, but some of us (you? … now you?) can do so much in the same amount of time that others do so little. I’m not hating on those who don’t do much, I straightforwardly believe they just never try to bite off more than they can chew, so they never adapt, never grow, and are never amazed with themselves.

I haven’t crashed yet. I’ll let you know if I do.

 

Stay Positive & Do As Much As You Can, Then Do A Little More

Garth E. Beyer