It’s time to stop kidding yourself. I mean, sure, be kind and give yourself some grace, but enough with the excuses, eh? In the timeless advice of Young MC, “Don’t just stand there, bust a move.”
“I’m so busy.” “I don’t know where to start.” “I just can’t fit it into my schedule right now.”
Too much to do
Losing weight, finishing the book you started writing, launching that new business you’ve been dreaming about, organizing your home; these are all daunting tasks that can leave us paralyzed by overwhelm. In our minds, there is too much to do, so we inevitably do what is most comfortable, i.e., curl up in a ball and take a nap. Or at least that’s what we want to do.
Promises, promises
“I’ll start on Monday.”
“Okay, I really mean it this time. The first of the year, I’m really going to get serious.”
“Once things slow down and I’m not so crazy busy, I’ll get moving on my goals.”
“When the kids are older…” “When the holidays are over…” “When work slows down…”
We’ve got an excuse for everything. While some excuses are valid, most of them are lies, intentional or not. We do have time to make big changes. Have you ever truly (truly) kept a record of how much time you spend on social media? How about watching your favorite TV series? Plans with friends? Of course, I’m not saying you shouldn’t ever do any of those things, but be honest with yourself about how much time you’re actually spending doing them.
Time to own up
You do have time; you’re simply choosing to spend your time doing things other than pursuing your personal and professional goals.
If you’re hoping to make big changes in your life, you may have to make some big sacrifices for a time. But probably more accurately, you’ll only have to make small sacrifices that just feel big in the gotta-have-my-cake-and-eat-it-too mindset.
It’s time. And don’t wait till Monday. Don’t wait till January 1st. Don’t wait till after your birthday or Thanksgiving or any of the other days of celebration you’re accusing of getting in your way.
Time to step up
You say you don’t know how to get started? Yes, you do. For the sake of argument, though, let’s say you just landed on our planet and truly don’t know where to start. It’s okay. Simply ask the nearest person what a search engine is and politely request that they type a question for you. Voila! You’ll have thousands of answers. Pick one. Now you know the next step to take.
To lose weight, you know what you need to stop eating and what you need to start eating, at least generally speaking. You know you need to move your body. You don’t know everything yet, but you know enough to start now.
You want to finish writing that book? You need to schedule uninterrupted time, then sit down and do it. You will certainly have to research the ins and outs of writing and publishing a book, but you know enough to continue making progress now.
Same goes for starting your new business. You’ve got the ideas. Implement them. Surround yourself with people who have been there, done that. Ask questions, pitch your ideas, do something. There is understandably fear of the unknown in entrepreneurship, but you know enough to get the ball rolling now.
In your home, the piles of papers and other clutter have you shutting down and feeling defeated. Start with one thing. One pile of mail, one pile of schoolwork, one cluttered surface. Your home doesn’t have to be magazine cover worthy. You know enough to get started and feel less buried now.
Do one thing today
Continue to learn and grow, but don’t wait until you think you know everything before you get started.
So what are you waiting for? What’s stopping (stalling) you? You know enough to bust a move now, so don’t just stand there.
P.S. Lest you believe I’m brazen enough to think that I’ve mastered all of the above, I’d like to share with you that this piece originally started out as a note to self. *facepalm*
Kari Box is a freelance writer and also provides realtime captions for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Connect with her on LinkedIn.