Is it a call, text, or an email? Do it.
Does your stomach hurt when you think about it? Do it.
Are you worried about what other people will think? Do it.
Most of the time, it isn’t that we don’t know what the next thing is, it’s that we are unsure if we are fit for the job.
You are.
You turn into a different person the minute you “ship.”
You instantly gain:
Those three outcomes are the bedrock of a professional.
They also make great questions if you are figuring out if someone else is one.
Go out and do.
There is a big difference between people who talk, those who do once, and those who often do.
The latter tribe is where people who ‘decide‘ end up,
Amazon wins the market because it is alway “Day One.” Win or lose – there is the next project.
They decide. You can too.
Starting a new job or project is exciting.
You want to start applying your taste right away.
One of the ways to do that is to give direction.
“This isn’t how this works; let me show you how I do it.”
It’s tempting. You’ll get to show off your “ability.” While it seems all well and good, you could shoot yourself in the foot when you do this.
Remember, as a new person in a role or position, you lack context. Consequently, it takes some time to understand what’s happening around you.
So, take a moment, and engage with the world around you.
For now, just listen and execute.
Don’t execute that grand new plan, not yet. You’ll eventually get there.
Or, make a blog post, like this one. 🙂
Give your ideas away, and do so often. Don’t hold on to them.
When you hold on to them, you suffocate them. Talk about them and give them room to breathe. The idea will appreciate it, and often, the people around you will appreciate it as well.
When I say this I often get the response -“What if someone steals the idea?” My response: so what?
An idea is a point in time. They can’t mimic your executive abilities. They can’t take the map in your head. All they have is a place to start.
By focusing just on the act of “stealing” you’ve stolen something from yourself. You’ve stolen your time, and that is worth far more than an idea.
I am giving you permission. That thing that you are pushing off? That person you want to contact? Waiting for the right time? I give you permission to do it.
As I think about the things I did this year, one of the meta things that got my life moving this year was taking off expecting to do things myself, and not having to wait until the perfect time to do something.
That was the change that got me out of the world of amateurs and beginning a journey as a pro.
I finally got to my video blog when I decided enough was enough. I did my podcast (coming soon) by just recording. I write these blogs now on a set schedule.
So, if you go down this path, it’s going to challenge you. It’s easy to sit back and wait to get told what to do, in fact, most of the people around us wait. I challenge you though, to get up and just start.
That podcast – There is your phone, start recording
That web series – same thing, that phone.
That script – Celtx is calling.
That book – you got a text file
Its funny, even for things that are mine, I still struggle with the idea of permission. I made some formatting changes to this blog, added picture, and restarted a few things. I had to tell myself that it was ok, even though I am the boss.
This isn’t easy, but most creative projects are there for the taking.Get going, and get going immediately
Leave the complexity for later. Just start.
Note: You don’t have to put it out to the world, but put is somewhere where you see it, and you remind yourself that it grows with you.
From the desk of Adam Thomas 