One day I will….
“Go to Italy.”
“Stop answering to a boss.”
“Get the body I’ve always wanted.”
“Start a family.”
“Live in a house near the water.”
“Try yoga.”
“Create a charity for people with X.”
“Write a novel.”
“Learn to cook paleo meals.”
“Move to Paris!”
“Start the dream business that I have inside of me!”
“Start meditating.”
Sound familiar?
One day, one day, one day. Well – the truth of the matter is, that proverbial “one day” never comes, does it? Ever.
It’s never the right time to take a vacation, have a baby, launch a Side Hustle, make time for a new hobby or passion.
Don’t let your big dreams ruin your life with regret seeping in on the daily. It appears as dullness in the present moment and you feel in your bones that you are living a half life – not the full life that you know deep down that you have the potential to.
So, what is the antidote here?
Mark Twain said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”
It’s true. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, then starting on the first one.
Here are six simple tips to get ahead in your life:
1. Make Time.
You will never find the time to do anything. You must make it (and protect it).
Clear a block of at least two to four hours a week to get your dream started. Like an appointment or important meeting, this time is neither changeable nor negotiable. Ever.
2. Refuse Excuses.
Every time a negative thought creeps in to tell you achieving your goal it is not possible, or to hinder you from getting started, release it immediately and consciously. Remember — results matter, excuses don’t!
And plenty of people out there are achieving their big dreams already. Think about them in moments of doubt. They’re probably working on their next big thing this very second.
3. Remove Distractions.
Remove push notifications from your phone or, even better, put it in a drawer somewhere. Shut down your social media alerts on your laptop. Make yourself unavailable for anything or anyone during your action time.
Once you start doing this you’ll also find the freedom quite addictive. You’ll feel free!
4. Commit to a Deadline.
This is crucial. What does success look like for you and your project? Give yourself a clear, achievable and realistic deadline to make it happen. For example, “Within 6 months I will have finished my novel.”
Break it up into small, bite-size deadlines, too, to make yourself accountable along the way, like if there are 12 chapters in total, two to be completed per month for the next 6 months. BOOM!
Personally I don’t create deadlines longer than 6 months because you can’t “taste” them.
5. Enjoy Yourself!
When we are in the process of doing/planning/creating we are at our most calm, engaged and alive.
Positive psychologist Mihaly Csikzentmihalyi describes the mental state of flow as “Being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.”
Allow yourself to be fully present and enjoy your flow.
6. Celebrate.
When you have had one month of applied activity towards your goal, treat yourself! A massage, new motivating book or glass of champagne will inspire you to keep going.
What have you been procrastinating over for some time and what are you ready to get started doing? Remember – there are no guarantees in the life about our time on the planet. What are you waiting for exactly? Because waiting results in just one thing: failure.
Because All We Ever Have Is Now.
What are you going to get started?
