Are You Getting Ready to Get Ready?
Are you getting ready to get ready?
When I heard this question from a mentor recently, the immediate image that came to mind was a 50m metre swimming pool.
Imagine, you step up to the starting block, your toes are curled over the edge, you bend forward, arms back, ready to dive in and then something stops you. You straighten up and step down off the block. Maybe you think you need to stretch a little more, adjust your goggles, maybe dip your toe in the water to see how cold it is.
Meanwhile, the person in the next lane, has dived in and is now halfway down the pool. They are going to win. They don’t have more talent than you; more ability or intelligence than you. They don’t even have better ideas than you but what they do have is the courage and confidence to dive into the pool and start swimming.
As a young girl, my Dad had lots of advice for me about business. Something I remember him saying often to me was that in life there are the “Gonnas”. People who are gonna do this and gonna do that and end up doing nothing. He told me to never be a gonna but to be a doer. Less talk, more action. Just do it.
Thanks for the words of wisdom Dad, but easier said than done, right?
There are so many things that can hold us back from diving into that swimming pool - fear of failure, fear of success, fear of looking stupid and incompetent, fear of the unknown, a lack of self-confidence, a lack of vision and direction and just plain old procrastination.
You start building up a set of conditions before you can jump in; qualifications if you like.
Maybe you need to lose 5 kg before you start dating.
Maybe you need to obtain another qualification before you can change jobs.
Maybe you need to build a website before you can launch your business.
Etc etc…..
Of course, all of these conditions are self-imposed. They’re in your own head and they’re getting in the way of you getting what you want.
So, how can you shift from GETTING ready to BEING ready?
Simplify your goal – what’s the next step you can take and just do that. If you focus on the huge picture it can seem daunting and unattainable. Chunk it down.
Focus on your strengths – all the reasons why you can jump in now. You have so much to offer right now, don't sit back and wait for perfection, it will never come.
Get proof that other people have done what you want to do, without the conditions you've set. People have achieved success despite all types of perceived obstacles. Use their stories to inspire you.
Find your tribe – others who are willing to jump in with you. Support one another and learn from your collective experiences.
Now of course, planning and preparation are important to your success.
You need to take time to consider your next move and put into place the right strategy to get there but it’s also vital to know when enough is enough. When you’ve stood up at that starting block too many times and backed down.
Maybe you just need a little push……...
Champagne and Sunshine,
Midja x