Sometimes, we feel stuck. A challenge arises, a roadblock shows up, or the to-do list grows louder than our sense of direction and hijacks our ability to just be. 

And in those moments, it’s easy to believe we need more—more time, more clarity, more freedom—to move forward.

But what if less is exactly what we need?

When we invite a boundary or constraint into our creative process, we intentionally limit the sprawl of our thoughts and ideas, and often find ourselves more focused, more directed, and—surprisingly—more inspired.

Think about a time when you had a deadline to meet, and that time constraint miraculously led to more focus and more creativity.

Here’s a “nerd alert” scenario — 

In my sophomore year in high school, I had to write a research paper on the workings of endorphins in the brain.  This was in the days before computers with no internet to leverage.

I’d worked hard and diligently at finding the not so prolific research that was available at the time and had ten pages of my rough draft hand written in my big fat biology binder.  

At lunchtime I put my binders and textbooks up on the shelf, above the hanging coats, and went into the school cafeteria.  When I came out to collect my things, my binders were gone. 

Imagine how that felt, especially since this paper was due the following week!

Sometimes we don’t know the magnitude of our capabilities until there’s a big hurdle thrown in our way that seemingly limits our options and we’re forced to become creative to dig our way out of what feels like a ditch that’s too deep.

With only the weekend to redo all the research and write the paper, needless to say, I didn’t have much time to pitch a tent in freakout mode. 

Nothing like a challenge to sharpen focus and activate one’s creative genius. 

I ended up finding more relevant research, learning a lot more and writing an even better paper, so it all worked out.

Although I wasn’t in control of my binders getting stolen, and this was an example of an externally imposed time challenge, it did cause me to tap into a way of being and thinking that ultimately led to a better result. 

But less obvious is how we manage our internal energy when faced with what looks like a road block between us and getting everything done that we need to get done.

One simple yet profound practice I recently reconnected with is this:
 If you only had four words to describe who you are being today, what would they be?

Not what you’re doing. Not your roles or your responsibilities.
But who you are being. Words that describe your “why” – the heart-driven reason you do what you do. 

Try it. Before you reach for your to-do list, take a mental pause and name the four words that describe your energetic intention for the day. Mine recently were: Raising global self-image. Just four words—but what clarity, what power.

When you consciously claim who you’re being, you shift from reacting to all the problems in the way, to creating from a clear pool of possibility. You become a laser beam of purpose and love. 

Your thoughts, choices, and actions begin to align with the energy behind those words. That’s when your presence becomes magnetic. That’s when your results become intentional.

It may seem like a small thing, this four-word constraint. But it holds the power to bring you back to your core truth—your essence. It reminds you that you are not just drifting through your day. You are a creator. You get to decide what energy you bring to the world.

So instead of starting your day from scattered thoughts or vague anxiety, begin here. Choose your four words. Choose who you are being. Give yourself “energetic guard rails” and let that energy lead.

Because in a world that continually beckons us with endless choices to consider everything coming at us, choosing to be just a few things from within us, can be one of the most sacred practices of all.

Let yourself be guided. Let yourself be clear. And trust that this four word container is not a limitation—it’s a launchpad.