How Emotionally Lazy are You?

Photo: HMK

I don't know why, but I LOVE picking apart Seth Godin's blog posts. I think mainly because his "nuggets" are designed to be helpful or be an "ah ha" moment of insight. Unfortunately, I think they are too often trying too hard and too often wrong.

Case in point: Latest is on the "new laziness." Here is the meat of it:

"...the new laziness has nothing to do with physical labor and everything to do with fear. Ifyou're not going to make those sales calls or invent that innovation or push that insight,you're not avoiding it because you need physical rest. You're hiding out because you're afraid of expending emotional labor.

This is great news, because it's much easier to become brave about extending yourself than it is to become strong enough to haul an eighty pound canoe."

REALLY? Does anyone really buy that? I've actually avoid tasks that require emotional labor by committing to doing physical labor as avoidance.

I'm sure you have too. Think about the last time you got REALLY upset about something youcould not complete not because it would be PHYSICALLY exhausting but because of the emotional or mental input it would require from you. I bet, much like me, you might have found a cleaning project or something you set aside that did not require mental and emotional output to get it done and you did it.

It might be cute to think of this as the new laziness but the problem with the concept: it is HARDER to do the emotional/mental work- otherwise, why are there so MANY blog posts about prioritizing, focusing, or finding the wherewithal to do what must be done?

Which is harder for you, finding the strength for physical or emotional labor?

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