 Have you ever been stuck? Let me rephrase that...have you ever felt like you have so many ideas and possibilities in front of you that all you can think about is all those ideas and possibilities? You may be familiar with the concept of decision fatigue - where you have so many options in front of you that you don’t know which one to choose (think Netflix movie night). This is a bit different. It’s more like possibility paralysis - you start to think of all the things you can envision for the future, the next steps in your endeavour, the potential ways to add on or improve the thing you’re starting - I call it the “the possibilities are endless” mind trap. While this kind of brainstorming can be fun, empowering, and prudent for planning purposes, it can also be a stall tactic. If all you can think about is the destination, when will you actually start the journey? And if you don’t figure out how to put one foot in front of the other, how will you ever reach that destination of your dreams? If all you can think about is the destination, when will you actually start the journey? Using all your energy to envision the future leaves none to spend on making that future a reality. At some point you must come back down to earth and examine where you are right now, then assess what should come next. I’ve found there is a best-of-both-worlds solution to possibility paralysis. Give yourself the uninhibited freedom to daydream and brainstorm your future, but put a timeframe around it. Also, be sure to share your dreams and all the hopes you have only with trusted loved ones. This will protect the possibilities you're exploring from negative influence and doubt. Ask yourself...what will be the foundation for all of these possibilities to build on? Then, when you’ve let your mind go to the expanses of the universe, ground yourself again in the present. Focus on today. Ask yourself, what do I do first? What will be the foundation for all of these possibilities to build on? Start a new brainstorming session where you plan out your first step, then your second, and so on. Now you have a true focal point to begin your work.
The possibilities truly are endless, but each one takes work and dedication. Focus on what to work on first and build your future one step at a time.
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 Where to begin… This is the challenge so many of us face when we’re in front of a new project we want to tackle, a new idea we want to explore, or a new relationship we want to pursue. Where to begin… well at the beginning obviously, right? But if you’re like me, it’s not that simple. The problem for some may be the planning part. For some it may be the thought that the venture may not turn out well. For others, it may be the feeling that you don’t have the time or energy available to put into this new thing. In all cases, those doubts and hesitations are coming from fear. Remember those two main motivators we talked about - fear and love? Ask yourself the "why" questions, and if your answers resemble roadblocks, it’s usually because of fear of the unknown. There must be a reason that the idea crossed your mind... Lean into that - what are you trying to satisfy with this new thing? So how do you get past the challenge of beginning? I’ve found that a good first step is to understand what is drawing you to the idea of the project to begin with. There must be a reason that the idea crossed your mind. There must be a desire deep inside that brought that person into focus at this moment in time. Lean into that - what are you trying to satisfy with this new thing? Next, tell yourself you’re worth it. If you have a desire to try something new, it’s for a reason and you deserve to explore it. Invest in exploring your talents, abilities, skills, your potential to love or grow in relationships. You are worth investing in. We have the will to do what we are driven to do if it’s important to us and if we feel strongly compelled to do it. Now tackle the fear. Fear can manifest as false beliefs - like believing you don’t have the ability to plan or you don’t have enough time to take on a new venture. I say these are false because the human spirit is powerful. We have the will to do what we are driven to do if it’s important to us and if we feel strongly compelled to do it. Maybe there are things you need to work on or improve, like organizing your time, but it is possible to learn new skills through practice and determination. There may be things you need to sacrifice to keep your balance as well, like giving up an hour of TV time to put towards something else. This is possible by creating new habits through discipline, which we all have experience with (hello, daily routines).
So when beginning something new seems out of reach, remember that it actually is within your reach if you believe it is. You are more capable than you know. Take a chance on yourself - you never know what could become of it. |
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