GO Month: Mental Clutter - X

Let's celebrate Get Organized (GO) Month by ridding ourselves of mental clutter from A to Z!

To celebrate Get Organized (GO) Month I'm doing a series of posts on the mental clutter that can be just as pervasive as physical clutter. For each letter, I'll talk about a mental stumbling block that often impacts our well-being.

Let's focus on X ... X-pert Thinking

I had to get creative with the use of x - but you get what I'm saying with "x-pert" right?!

We all get caught up in thinking that we have to be an expert before we start something new. No one needs to read Marie Kondo books, binge-watch seasons of The Home Edit, or buy dozens of bins at Ikea in order to be an expert at organizing. Consuming information or amassing stuff does not make you an expert.

Here's the thing about being an expert - no one starts out knowing it all. If anything, it's more about what you don't know than what you do. Many times lack of certainty is what leads to success. We have to fail and make mistakes in order to reach expert status. Not to mention, embracing uncertainty keeps you humble. So go tackle that junk drawer and know that there are many ways to do it. Try your hand at a new productivity app and if it's not working for you, try another. Or if you're on your fifth attempt at organizing your pantry, it's okay, just stay the course.

Ways to combat feeling the need to be an expert:

• Don't ever underestimate yourself and overestimate others

• Silence your inner critic and recognize that the label of 'expert' is very subjective

• You actually don't have to be an expert - being good at the basics can be good enough for the project or goal you're working on

• Borrow the knowledge and expertise from another professional or find a community of folks to learn from (we professional organizers and productivity gurus are here for you!)

• Sign on for the long haul - when you commit to doing something long-term you will undoubtedly become better at it

"The top experts in the world are ardent students. The day you stop learning, you're definitely not an expert."

Brendon Burchard

Here's to freeing ourselves from the mental clutter of x-pert thinking!

Please share with someone who needs a clearer mindset.

featured image by Free-Photos from Pixabay