In the last months, we have lost connection, human contact, freedom of movement, but we have gained something even more valuable: time. Before the pandemic, we were rushing like crazy to reach destinations, achieve more and more milestones, hunt those job promotions, get everything done and in place by 30 and if the plan didn’t work out in time, we started to feel depressed.
Nowadays with social media, we see what everyone is doing in the whole world. It is really hard not to feel overwhelmed with everyone’s accomplishments. You participate every single day to everyone’s celebration and maybe you just had a shitty day and are at your worst. How does that make you feel?
But then you have an amazing day and you want to share that with the world and you want the whole world to respond and celebrate with you. It’s just how social media works. Nonetheless, it’s not the success of others that bothers you.
You are dealing with time pressure.
Your Life was Planned
Since you were just a child, the whole society offered you a schedule, a plan for life. You needed to go to school, college right after that, get married and have kids by 30, reach the peak of your career by 40, enjoy the best years until you retire and then enjoy what is left of your life.
Things have changed and this plan no longer applies for us and yet, you still feel the time pressure. You still feel that you do not have time and that you need somehow to reach those goals, because they are so deeply rooted in your system.
Create Your Own Timeline
While setting goals is important and managing your time is essential to succeed, the secret is to create your own TIMELINE. There are many examples now of people who broke the time boundaries and found success much later in life. Let’s see who these people are!
- Samuel L Jackson had his first big role in a film at 43, but found success 3 years later starring in Pulp Fiction
- Martha Stewart had her big break when she turned 41 and now she is one of the most famous women alive
- Judie Dench was famous on the stages in England, but she reached international stardom only at 61 when she starred in the James Bond film, Goldeneye.
- Helen Mirren was also popular on the London stages, she starred on Broadway at 49 and made her first big films when she was in her late 50s.
- Morgan Freeman had his breakthrough when he was 50, with the film Street Smart.
- Alan Rickman started out as a graphic designer and even had his own studio. At 26 he decided to pursue acting and attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, but his talent was only noticed when he was 42 in Die Hard.
- Colonel Sanders, the man behind the famous fast food brand KFC, was 62 years old when the first KFC franchise opened, after numerous rejections and after a lifetime of failed jobs.
- J.K. Rowling struggled with poverty and depression. She was going through a bad divorce when she started writing Harry Potter, to escape from her reality. She was 32 when the first book was published.
- Susan Boyle left everyone in awe! when she started singing at Britain’s Got Talent. She was 47 and she struggled with so many rejections until then.
- Julia Child was a terrible cook in her 30s. She had a job in copywriting and even worked as a spy, until she decided to learn how to cook. Her first cookbook was published when she was 50.
- Viola Davis played many parts before being recognized in the film Doubt that brought her the first Oscar nomination. She was 43.
- Oprah Winfrey struggled a lot in her 20s. She worked as a news anchor but she was fired from being too emotional about her stories. Well, Oprah made her own show after that and began her rise when she was 32.
- Ray Kroc, the man behind McDonald’s, was 52 when he bought and made popular the fast food chain, making him a wealth of $600 million.
- Vera Wang was 40 when she entered the fashion world. Before that, she was a figure skater and a journalist.
These are just a couple of the most famous examples of highly successful people who achieved their success later in life. Life is surprising and unexpected, no one has everything sorted out! So, how to deal with time pressure?
Manage Your Time
Having your own timeline and plan, doesn’t mean you have to waste time. Don’t sit around and just wait until you reach 40, thinking that you will achieve success then, because all the people mentioned above worked hard until they met fame. No one just happened to be there. Managing your time is essential.
No matter your goal, you need to do something every single day for that. Even if you take days off to rest or seek inspiration, never lose sight of your goal. Organizing your time will also help you avoid procrastination and you will also feel better about yourself, knowing that you worked towards your goal every day.
What Are Your Triggers?
What triggers you? What do you want? These are important questions to ask, because these will tell you exactly why do you feel this pressure. What is it that you haven’t achieved yet? What is your dream? Take the time to realize the good things you’ve done so far, the things that make you proud and also the areas in which you wish to improve.
Then, consider what is the main source of stress? Too much work? Stressful situations that seem to not end, like a toxic relationship? Or being out of work? Not having a purpose or a plan can be as stressful as being overwhelmed with projects and ideas. Acknowledge these and learn how to handle them.
Life is Not a Competition
Even if you will find yourself often in real competitions, life itself is not a competition. Life is a journey and sometimes you have to lose, so that you can win. You don’t have to be the first all the time and good things may come later in life.
Some people get married at 20 and divorce 10 years later, while others get married at 40 and live happily ever after.
Some people graduate at 21, but find their dream job only at 35. Others take some years off before college and land directly in their dream job by the time they are 30.
Some people become millionaires in their teens, but lose everything by the time they are 50. Some discover success in their 30s and live a rich life until they die.
Everyone has their own story. Their path. Everything changes and today doesn’t always look like tomorrow.
Accept & Love Yourself
Embrace your flaws! Love yourself! This is the most important one and not only for dealing with time pressure, but in general – with everything! The moment when you will accept and love who you are will mark the beginning of a happy and fulfilled life! Even if you are not fully happy with who you are, now is the time to admit it and start improving.
Being on a journey of improvement will change so much the way you feel about yourself and your whole mood. Even your confidence will improve by knowing you are on a great path that will only bring you benefits.
You Are In Charge Of Your Life Events
The world has prepared for you every single moment. Your whole life is planned from the moment you are born. Everyone knows exactly when you should feel ready for having children or ready to begin a career. But, we are different. We feel and experience so many things by the time we are 14, how can we all feel the same? How can we all want the same things?
Only you can decide when you are ready!
No one can plan your first kiss and no one can tell you when you need to lose your virginity.
Only you know if you want to continue with your studies and only you know what you want to do from the bottom of your heart.
Listen to your guts and they will always be right.
Follow your heart, follow your dreams, chase the impossible.
No one can tell you when you should get married and no one can tell you when you need to have children or if you need to have them in the first place.
The power lies in you. Only you can decide what career to pursue, what job to do or how to live your life.
No one can tell you when to retire. Only you can decide when you want to finish working.
No one can tell you that you are too old and you should stop dreaming or living or loving! Only you can decide who to love, when to love…
You can start a completely new career at 70, rebirth and pursue new endeavors!
Cherishing My Nana
I will always cherish one of my grannies who started doing face creams and beauty products in her own home at 60 years old. She was so incredibly good at this that everyone in the entire neighborhood was addicted to her creams.
At 70 she started painting without having any previous experience. She never held a brush in her hand. Not only that her works were beautiful, but she started selling them as well!
By the time she was 80, she began a business of buttons. Yes, she was selling buttons for jackets, blouses, pillows and so much more! She made a little fortune from these buttons! She never stopped, she always looked for something new to do, something exciting that kept her young until the day she died!
Your article gives me wings! Love it!
Thank you so much! I am very happy to hear this! Enjoy our lifestyle magazine!