The “Give Up” Test

Sometimes, a quick and “dirty” test can get you started on an amazing journey. Today, I challenge you to do the short-version of The “Give Up” Test^TM. While I use a more developed form of this tool for Life-Purpose coaching, the short-version is great, too!

Until you’re pushed, you may not have any idea what you would or would not give up. This experiment came from a year when I had anemia so bad I could hardly do anything. I’d sleep 13 hours a night and have to rest after even the most basic tasks. Choosing what to include and what to leave out of my life at that time was a huge surprise. The things I was completely unwilling to give up were an unexpected revelation. Now that I’m recovered, I’m still creating more room for those things in my life that I discovered I literally couldn’t live without. Testing what you’re willing to give up is a short path to honing in on your passion and by correlation, your success.

The quick and dirty version of this is to write a list: include everything you want to do and everything you feel you need or have to do. Once that’s done, go back to the top and consider the first item on your list. Would you be willing to give up this item if you can have anything else? If so, is that something else on your list? If not, add it to the bottom of your list. Compare those things again. If you could actually have the thing you prefer, would the impact of giving up this other commitment or dream be worth it? Are you willing to pay the price for giving up this one item on your list?

Each time you cross something off the list as worth giving up for another item, put a hash-mark next to the item that “Won” the competition. (It’s fast and easy to simply use the four-lines with a diagonal line counting system we used at kids.)

Work your way through the entire list until you get down to a noticeably smaller list. Don’t stop until you’re down to no more than ½ of what you started with. It’s even more valuable if you can give up all but a ¼ of what you started with. Now, the deeper part of this process comes out. Begin to decide which if any of the remaining items you are willing to give up and deal with whatever the impact giving up this thing would create, in order to keep something else on the list.

Your first thought may be you’re not willing to give up anything that remains. Keep going. Until you’ve compared each item on the remaining list to every other thing left and found you’d actually feel heartbroken, depressed, or incredibly sad to loose an item, don’t give up on the process. Instead of thinking about really hard, focus on how feel when you imagine not having or achieving this item. Thinking may just take you in circles here. Feel your truth!

If you’re like me, you may find that there is still more on your list than seems like it will fit into your life. That’s okay. Look at how much more is possible when you notice what matters to you the most? Those activities, dreams, or wishes that leave you feeling devastated when you contemplate not having them in your life bring you that much closer to connecting to your passion, your mission, your calling.

What are you willing to give up so you get what you want? The real secret is how much of what you want is hiding behind all the extra stuff that is just routine or not even that important.

I dare you! Do less of what you think has to be done and more of what you’re called to do!

Blessings,

Heidi Sue

P.S. Drop me an email if you want a complete version of The “Give Up” Test^TM