When I was a teenager, I made a pact with myself to pursue a career that I would enjoy every single day. I'm proud that I kept my promise and pursued an education in communication and a career in that field.
One of the perks of pursuing a career in a field you are truly passionate about is how exceptionally well your work performance will be. For me, that took the shape of achieving my targets ahead of schedule.
Reaching my milestones early encouraged me to achieve the next targets on my list.
I admit that I looked forward to ticking items off my list more and more. Whenever I achieved a milestone, I would instantly think of the next target and how fast I would be able to reach it.
There's nothing wrong with challenging yourself. But focusing on the next target and not taking time to reflect on your achievements and how you went about pursuing your goals may not help you with the plans you have set.
Allow me to illustrate.
A few years ago, I worked on a personal project that entailed creating a visual experience for guests to enjoy.
A lot of thought went into the process and we were overwhelmed with the positive response the experience received. That feedback encouraged me to work on another experience and to introduce it shortly after the first one, to keep up the momentum.
We were able to complete the planning and execute the project before the set deadline, which naturally made me very happy. The experience was also successful.
However, I realised that I could have done a far better job if I gave myself time to properly reflect on the first experience and dedicate adequate time to brainstorm the next one.
I realised that dedicating more time to focus on the small details would have made a huge difference, and would have opened doors for potential partnerships if I'd taken the time to review the first experience.
Ever since that experience, I promised myself that I would rest on my laurels, but only for a while and for the sole purpose of achieving more.
For someone who was called “Speedy” during my university days, taking things slower wasn't easy. I had to train myself to set a goal, sleep on my ideas for a while, reflect, brainstorm and stretch that overall process just a bit longer.
But it was so worth it. Resting on my laurels and coming back stronger allowed me to be truly creative.
Art can't be rushed and if I wanted to create something impactful, I needed to give it a bit more time.
This is not to say that I gave myself breaks that lasted months – that's not feasible when we are bound by deadlines. But depending on my target deadline, I scheduled time to reflect and be creative.
As my creativity simmered in the background, what I found helpful was expanding my horizons by exploring different genres of films, reading materials, and even switching up my daily routine by trying a new coffee place.
Talking to others and discussing your ideas, if possible, can also provide you with insights that could help elevate your idea.
In a fast-paced world in which we are encouraged to jump in to achieve the next target while still working on the first, resting on our laurels, even for a short while can help us to tap new horizons that we didn't know existed.
Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer and communications adviser based in Abu Dhabi.
