3 tips for focusing on excitement

“‘Do what you find exciting’ is a simple rule, but it is so easy to forget – especially during the ‘middle years’,” said one person. “Many people become numb and start to settle for the mundane. Sometimes it takes years – or a big shock – before they relight the fires in their lives and work.”

Certainly many people feel excited during their younger years. Every day is an adventure. They explore, travel and learn. Some people keep this ‘tingle factor’ alive. Some let it rest for awhile, then pick it up again late on in life when they enter their ‘second spring’. Let’s explore how you can continue to hit the heights throughout your life.

* You can clarify what you find exciting.

What do you find exciting in your life and work? When do you live the ‘A’ life – feeling alive – rather than the ‘B’ or ‘C’ life, feeling bored or cramped? When does this happen in your personal life? You may feel exhilarated when writing, painting, skiing, bungee-jumping, cooking, travelling, inventing, creating, teaching, exploring or whatever. When does it happen in your professional life? You may love working with stimulating people on stimulating projects. What are the warning signs that all is not going well? You may get headaches, forget things, feel lethargic, lose the spring in your step or whatever. What do you then do to re-take charge of your life? Try completing the following sentence.

The things I find exciting are:

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* You can do the things you find exciting.

Start by looking ahead in your life. What are the exciting things you plan to do in the next month?

“That question shook me,” said one person. “Looking ahead, I saw a wasteland – work, commuting, work, commuting. I used to love working – but then it became boring: people sitting in rooms pretending to make decisions. So I changed job within the company and launched a ground-breaking product. The deadline was tight, but the role was fulfilling. Looking at my personal life, I returned to playing the piano, which I found both exciting and healing. My wife and I also decided to spend more time in Cornwall. Something happens when I cross the Tamar Bridge. Maybe it is simply recalling my childhood holidays, but suddenly I feel freer. The biggest change, however, has been in my attitude. Nowadays I look to the month ahead and plan how to inject excitement into my life.”

“But what about the joy of being caught by surprise – doesn’t that have a part to play?” somebody may ask. Of course, but sometimes ‘spontaneity takes a lot of planning’. Such planning involves developing the habit of stimulating your mind, body and soul. Try completing the following sentence.

The steps I can take to do more of the things I find exciting are:

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* You can keep doing the things you find exciting.

How can you maintain the good habits? How can you stay on the crest of the waves? Remember Charles Handy’s view of The Sigmoid Curve. (See illustration.) People, organisations and societies often drift down the declining side of the curve before they come to their senses. They need to continually surf the waves to develop, rather than die.

“Three years ago I had an alarm call,” said one person. “Previously I had always been super professional with clients – then something happened. On several occasions I was almost late for a client appointment or failed to rehearse the meeting properly. Quick thinking retrieved the situations, but I heeded the warning signs. I had become bored. Looking at my client list, I began spending more time with those I found stimulating, which generated more work with these people. Since then I have got into the habit of doing quarterly checks to ensure I am doing fulfilling work.”

How can you keep surfing the sigmoid curve? How can you keep doing the things that give you a buzz? Excitement is crucial if we are to stay awake, alert and alive. Try completing the following sentence.

The steps I can take to keep doing the things I find exciting are:

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