Hi Everyone,

Life has a funny way of teaching us lessons, often in the most unexpected places. Lately, I've been reflecting on something that has truly shifted my perspective, and I wanted to share it with you, because I have a feeling you might relate.

For thirty years – yes, thirty years – I’ve been in a silent battle with the gate to my backyard. It sounds trivial, I know, but this gate was my daily nemesis. The lock would stick, I’d have to put my hip into it just to nudge it open, and every single time I walked through it (which is at least ten times a week!), it was thirty seconds of pure, unadulterated annoyance. I had several contractors look at it and just said ‘hmmm… I’m not sure. So I just dealt with it. Looking back, it’s embarrassing how much energy and mental space I drained fighting that stupid gate.

Not only could I not use it efficiently, my friends, family and clients were amiss on how to open the gate.

When I did the math, I realized I’ve wasted over 130 hours of my life fighting that little piece of metal. It's a shocking number, isn't it? Almost 11 days of awake time I could have spent on things that actually matter to me.

Then, this summer like a knight in shining armor (or, more accurately, a friendly guy with a toolbox), CJ the gate guy entered the scene. I met him…. For a mere $200, he fixed my gate. Just like that. No fuss, no struggle, no wasted energy. It was a silly, small problem, yet the relief and the speed with which he solved it was profound. Fixing gates is his unique ability.

This whole experience really resonated with a concept from a recent book I listened to and highly recommend: "Who Not How" by Dan Sullivan. One of its core lessons is that each of us has a "unique ability" – that thing we do effortlessly, brilliantly, and that truly energizes us. The magic happens when we get clear on what ours is, and then, crucially, invest in finding the "whos" to solve the problems that fall outside of it.

Think about it: how often do we procrastinate on tasks that just drain us? Dan Sullivan offers such a liberating perspective on this: "Procrastination is wisdom." He suggests that when we procrastinate, it’s often our intuition telling us, "Hey, this isn't in your zone. Instead of struggling for hours and doing a subpar job, go find a 'who' who can solve this quickly and expertly."

This isn't about being lazy; it's about being strategic. It’s about freeing up your precious time and energy to focus on what you do best, what lights you up, and what truly moves your life or business forward. Whether it's a sticking gate, a complex business challenge, or even something as simple as organizing a cluttered space – there's usually a "who" out there whose unique ability is precisely what you need.

We all get the same 24 hours in a day. It’s the true equalizer, and we each have the power of choice of what we spend our precious time on. I can’t dwell too much on the fact that I spent over 130 of my precious hours on something so small and easily fixable as a backyard gate.

My hope for you, and for myself, is that we all lean into this idea a little more. Let’s identify our own unique abilities, celebrate them, and bravely seek out the "whos" for everything else. Imagine the peace, the progress, and the joy we could unlock!

Sending you so much love and inspiration to find your "whos"!

Warmly,
Tara