Just Get Started
Nov 15, 2021It is essential to take the first step towards achieving something. Doing anything will get you closer to your goal than doing nothing at all, and this can apply to any aspect of your life.
Just start doing something.
Have you ever found yourself putting off doing something because you don't feel like doing anything at all? Just a few more minutes, maybe next week, sometime later, the excuses go on. There are several reasons why some of us are delaying doing something.
- The things we have to do are boring or unpleasant.
- We are waiting for the perfect time to start something when everything seems aligned in our favor.
- We fear that we will experience failure or rejection upon doing something.
- You don't have a plan in place or a system of how to do things.
- You don't feel confident enough.
- You don't have enough resources like money.
It's normal to feel some apprehension when starting something new. However, the longer we hold off doing things, the more problems will pile up later, and we will end up doing nothing at all. Therefore, it's better to try and do something than regret later something you should have done. You never know, you could have ended up being successful in a particular endeavor, and it will be a missed opportunity if you didn't try. There are several things you can do to help you start taking action.
1. Have a reason why you are doing something
One big reason why you are not doing something is that you don't know why you have to do it in the first place. So if you plan to start something new, you might think about what you can get out of this new project. If you can't get a clear answer, chances are you will drop off starting your new project and hold off for an indefinite amount of time. You might think of making money as the reason you want to do something, but sometimes money is not enough as a motivation tool. Why is it that some workers feel dissatisfied and bored with their job despite having a high salary? There's an aspect of fulfillment that must be present when we are doing something. Otherwise, we will do something mechanically for its sake or even drop what we are doing halfway. So if you want to start working on something and feel motivated along the way, think of a reason that will give you satisfaction and fulfillment. Being able to help other people and putting a smile on their faces is a good example.
2. Stop overthinking about the future
We can't help but stop thinking about things that can go wrong in the future for some of us. So instead, we wait for the perfect moment when the stars align in our favor. The economy is good, and you have plenty of money and resources, you are in tip-top shape, demand is skyrocketing, etc. Unfortunately, all of these ideal situations end up being excuses, and so we end up doing nothing. Your dream becomes a wasted opportunity. Instead of waiting for the perfect future, which might never come, focus on the present and see what you can do. Deal with what you have in the present and start putting effort into your dream. Besides, even if that ideal future comes to you, you will never know if you will succeed unless you start doing something and see results. And even if you fail, there's always a chance to make a comeback.
3. Have a plan and system in place
Another reason why you don't accomplish anything is because you don't have a system in place on how you should do things. Having a schedule where everything you should do is listed and priorities indicated helps motivate you. A to-do list works wonders in giving you the right direction to achieving something. When tackling a large project, break it down into small tasks, so the feeling of progress and achievement is easier to attain. Create a time study so you can see how much time you spend on each task. By knowing how much time you should spend on each task, you become more efficient because you know how fast you should be doing them, and distractions won't have a place as they will add time to your tasks. Setting goals that you would like to achieve for each day, week, month, and year will give you a roadmap on what you can do, and it becomes more apparent where you should direct your energy.
Feel motivated to start doing something
The long road towards achieving success starts with taking small steps. As you decide to take action, you will become more interested in pursuing your goals and eventually complete them. The first couple of steps you make might be rough, but don't lose hope and continue doing what you intended to do. The reward might not be immediate, but you won't reach it unless you start doing something now.