I heard a quote recently from Edgar Cooper, “Busyness is a result of vanity or laziness.” When I heard this I immediately tried to shoot it down.
I know I’m not a lazy man and I cannot stand arrogance or narcissism. I can’t stand it so much that I go the opposite way. My nature is to turn away any acknowledgement or appreciation for something I’ve done. So am I lazy? As a business owner, husband, father, farmer, minister and author, I can’t be lazy, can I?
I went through a 6 week course with Paul Martinelli in which he would speak to business owners who called in asking for advice. As I was listening to one such conversation, the caller was commenting on how compliments make him feel uncomfortable.
The caller shared that in Sunday Bible Class, he would get compliments from attendees. But he would wave them away and only remark on errors he made in his sermon, making comments like “even a blind squirrel finds a nut.”
This really hit home with me because I make comments like that all the time – this is the exact thing I’m struggling with!
Paul told this man to respond to compliments with, “Thank you that means a lot.” Then, shut up! Don’t beat yourself up or downplay the effort you put into the sermon. Accept the compliment and move on.
Since hearing this advice, I’ve tried to follow it, but it’s hard to keep the little voice inside me quiet.
Now that my book is nearing completion, I’ve signed with a publisher, Morgan James, and will begin training with a Public Relations Coach, Speech Coach and Graphic Artist to prepare for the book launch in May of next year, with the hope of getting on the New York Times Best Seller List.
Even that is a difficult pill to swallow!
It’s hard to imagine any TV and radio program wanting to do an interview with me. But, through all this, I have to be okay with someone saying to me, “I read your book and I loved it.” I have to respond with “Thank you. That means a lot.” I know God has been building me and doing things in my life to get me ready for this time.
Getting back to the busyness quote, I’ve concluded that I must be lazy. I’m not prideful and I’m not vain.
So am I lazy? Unfortunately, my answer has to be yes.
I procrastinate until something is a bigger job than it has to be. If I would’ve spent 20 minutes on it 3 days ago, I wouldn’t have to spend two hours on it today. If I believe in this statement and really try to understand how it relates to my life, I begin to realize I’m lazy. I am lazy in a strange way. I overextend myself in many areas of my life, but hold back in others. I pass off tasks to others because I’m just so “busy.” I think we could all use a little less busy in our lives.
In your busy life, which area are you struggling with? Laziness or vanity?