“Too Busy” or Too Afraid?
Inspired by Jon Acuff’s quote: “You’ll always be too busy for the things you’re afraid to do.”
We love to say, “I’m just too busy right now.”
It sounds responsible, even admirable — a badge of productivity.
But sometimes, “too busy” is a mask.
A disguise for fear.
Jon Acuff once wrote, “You’ll always be too busy for the things you’re afraid to do.”
That one hit me square between the eyes.
I thought my problem was time — that if I just organized better, made one more list, and found an extra hour, I’d finally get that lingering task done. But the truth?
It wasn’t a time issue. It was a fear issue.
Fear doesn’t respect calendars.
It laughs at productivity hacks and color-coded planners.
When I finally stopped trying to “schedule courage” and instead asked myself,
👉 “What am I afraid of right now?”
the answers came.
Fear of failing. Fear of what others might think. Fear of stepping into something new and uncomfortable.
And once I named the fear, its power started to shrink.
Because fear thrives in silence and busyness.
🌿 What “Too Busy” Might Really Mean
The next time you catch yourself saying, “I’m just too busy,” pause and ask what might really be going on.
It could be:
Fear of failure – “What if I’m not good enough?”
Fear of success – “What if it works and I can’t sustain it?”
Perfectionism – “It’s not ready yet; I’ll start when it’s perfect.”
Avoidance of discomfort – “It’s easier to do familiar things than brave ones.”
Overwhelm or lack of clarity – “I don’t even know where to start.”
Guilt – “I feel selfish spending time on my own goals.”
Fatigue – “I’m running on empty, and the thought of more is exhausting.”
Old programming – “Busy means I’m valuable.”
Comparison – “They’re doing it better anyway.”
Doubt – “Who am I to think I can do this?”
🌸 Coaching Reflection
Valorie Burton says that coaching begins with the right question — one that opens awareness and invites choice.
So, here are a few to ask yourself this week:
“If ‘too busy’ wasn’t the truth, what might be?”
“What would change if I stopped saying ‘I don’t have time’ and asked, ‘What am I protecting myself from?’”
“What’s one small, courageous step I could take this week toward what I’ve been avoiding — and how would it feel to have it behind me instead of hanging over me?”
🌾 Action Steps: Move From Fear to Freedom
Name the fear. Write it down. Don’t judge it—just see it clearly.
Challenge the story. Ask, “What’s true, and what’s just noise?”
Break it down. Choose the smallest next action you can take.
Schedule courage, not perfection. Block time to start, not to finish.
Celebrate the doing. Progress counts more than polish.
Share your step. Tell someone what you’re doing. Accountability breeds courage.
Reflect and reframe. Ask, “What did I learn about myself by showing up?”
🌼 A Closing Thought
You’ll never find “extra time” for the thing that scares you.
But you will find freedom once you face it.
Fear shrinks when we name it.
Confidence grows when we act anyway.
So today—let’s stop hiding behind “busy.”
Let’s be brave enough to call it what it is, take one small step forward, and remind ourselves that courage doesn’t wait for a cleared calendar.