# Chapter 44

Spinning plates. The distraction of 1000 competing agendas. You and I have boundaries to our energy and our attention. We may be able to grow these capacities over the decades of our lives, but they are still limited, when they are done they are done. So this limited supply of energy and attention can only be stretched so far. The only real control here is, where you choose to expend these capacities. And thus what most of us do is spin as many plates as we can. We actively try to learn to spin ever more plates.

Or ... we allow others to give us plates to spin. This is normal to a point, because we all have to navigate our human relationships with other people and that most often includes expectations (one kind of plate to spin) and demands (another kind of plate) and social/family/cultural) obligations (another). There is no way around facing this. People *will* give us plates to spin. The plates given to me so far today, would be: 1. A funeral 2. Travel 3. A $1000 loss 4. Fixing a problem in another country 5. The coming week of activities, etc etc.

Now I can spin all those plates and perhaps make these people in my life somewhat happy that they see me trying to spin their plates for them. All the while my plates fall to the ground and break. Or I can watch them all wobble and see how long I can keep too many up there, while not spinning any of them properly and safely. This has to stop. And I have a life statement to address this spinning plate dilemma - “under promise over deliver.” If you spend any time with me at all, you have heard me say this phrase. Probably many times.

I aim low when I sense your desire for me to spin a plate for you. I keep your expectations low to non-existent, and I keep my pressure to perform or conform in the low to non-existent range. So whatever I deliver in the end, can be enjoyed as great because I generally never promise to deliver very much at all, and moreover I am committed to spinning my plates, not everyone else’s.

IS what you do important? Then stop spinning other’s plates and only spin those important few.