Just take that first step! Oh…if only it were that easy. Why does it always seem like our feet grow concrete boots when we think about taking that first step. I’m right there with y’all…it’s SO DARN HARD to just do it!
It’s a strange conundrum.
- We want something
- We want to reach a goal
- We want change
Yet it’s so difficult to start the process. Why is this? What holds us back from achieving what we want? Well, there are several reasons…which if we better understand them, we can perhaps better overcome our hesitations.
Reason #1: Lack of Motivation
There’s a common misconception that, if we want something, we’ll be motivated to make it happen. I sincerely wish that were the case!! The reality is that motivation is like any other emotion – happiness, sadness, anger, frustration – it comes & goes. If you wait to “be motivated” to take that first step…well, guess what? You’ll be waiting forever! Here’s the key: Motivation comes from action. So act first & watch your motivation grow as a result!
Reason #2: Fear of Failure
This is my big one…so big that I call myself a “recovering perfectionist”. I have plastered all over my work station – Fail fast, fail cheap. What I’ve come to understand (although I struggle mightily with this one) is that you can’t wait until things are perfect. If you do, very little will get done…and the more important issue (for me) is that too much time will have been wasted in the attempt to make it perfect. In my world, time = money. That’s where the “fail cheap” part comes in. So, you just gotta try. And if it fails, that’s awesome because you’ll actually learn something!
Reason #3: I’m Not Ready
I hear this one ALL the time. Folks say “I need to get in shape first. THEN I’ll sign up for swim lessons.” Huh…??!! I think, particularly as adults, we have an innate fear of looking silly, looking unprepared, looking like we have no clue what we’re doing. Here’s the catch though…and it goes back to #2. How much time do you want to waste trying to “get ready” to take that 1st step? Let’s call it what it really is – a delay tactic, a procrastination tool. It’s simply a way of saying that we’re not ready to make the commitment yet. And that’s fine…if you’re not ready, you’re not ready!
OK, now that we’ve looked a bit closer at some of the barriers to action, what do we do? My advice – don’t think, just do. Close your eyes & jump off the cliff. Put your shoes on & go out the door. Let that first step open the door to the second step. There’s power in action, folks. You are more than ready!