So you want a new job, to lose weight, to write the next great American novel, or to start a business. You want to do what you're passionate about. But you're convinced none of those endeavors will be successful.
And maybe you think, “But it won’t work! Because to really be successful, you have to get your product/business featured on Oprah. And that’s impossible! I’ll never get my stuff on Oprah!”
And here’s the thing.
You’re right.
You’ll never get on Oprah.
Because you’re not doing the thing you want to do in the first place.
It’s not happening because you’re not doing it.
You’re not going to lose weight until you stop eating more than you need and start moving more.
You’re not going to ditch the day job, or find a better one, until you figure out what you want and start taking steps in that direction.
You’re never going to get published if you don’t write.
But still, you argue:
- “But I can’t just ditch the day job!” Sure. There are realities and responsibilities we all have to deal with. But you can write a page a day while working the day job at the same time. A lot of people get their businesses going before leaving the cubicle. There are tons of options between the cubicle and chucking it all to go open the doors of your business in Spain
- “People won’t like it.” How do you know? Maybe everyone won’t love it. But everyone doesn’t love John Grisham or Steve Jobs either. Besides, what other people think is none of your business. You can’t control it. And what they think says more about them and their stuff than that great thing you do anyway. That’s about them. Not you.
- “I’m not good enough.” ‘Good enough’ compared to what? Hemingway? I bet his first drafts weren’t all that hot either. (OK. Maybe they were. But you get the point.) Stop comparing your early efforts to ‘the greats.’ If you want to start a business? I guarantee you that even the most wildly successful people made mistakes along the way. Besides, who says you’re not good enough? All those people? I refer you to number 2.
- “I don’t have time.” The truth is that we make time for the things that are important to us. If you’re not making time, you’re either afraid or it’s not important to you. If it’s not important enough to you? That’s okay. Own that. Accept it. Just say, “Ya know? I really don’t want to start a business.” And then let it go. Put your energy towards something you really do want. (If you’re afraid? That’s a whole other monster.)
The Guarantee
Nothing is going to happen if you never start doing the thing you want to do. And not doing it will guarantee you won’t get the thing you want.
So start. Today. And start small. Start ridiculously small.
Great novels were not written in a day.
Neither do successful businesses appear overnight.
And you don’t lose 30 pounds in a week.
Do something. Take a small amount of time and write one page or research your business idea or walk for 20 minutes. Small steps add up, so that’s okay.
Do you know how great books are written?
One sentence at a time.
That’s right. Even the great Hemingway wrote - one sentence at a time.
What is it you’ve been putting off that you really want to do?
What could you spend 15 minutes doing today?
All the best!
deb
