Where to begin?

There’s this cool Tom Petty song where the hook repeats “waiting is the hardest part”.  Although there have been many times in my life where those words most certainly ring true, as I’m sitting here pondering how to begin this post, I have to say… not so this time. No sir, Mr. Petty… in this moment the hardest part isn’t waiting… it’s getting started.

If the truth be known, this “getting started” thing plagues me more than I would like to admit. My problem isn’t laziness… its abundance.

There are so many wonderful projects I would love to dive into, not to mention all the other things I need to do. Just the thought of it all can sometimes feel so overwhelming that I just don’t know where to begin…. therefore, often times… I just don’t.

It’s kind of like being at a karaoke party staring at a very large list of cool songs to choose. Instead of jumping in and going for one, I foolishly waste half the evening trying to pick that perfect tune.

Talk about missing the forest for the freakin’ trees! Pick one already! It’s not about the songs, you nitwit; it’s about the music. Yes, and once I finally decide to grab the mic and get with it, the fun kicks in and ramps up to the point where it’s hard to quit… bingo! Just don’t hog the mic Billy boy.

I know you’ve heard this many times before, but I’m going to shout it once again… if for no one else but yours truly.

The Joy is in the Journey! And if you don’t find a way to get up off your ass, jump in your metaphorical boat and begin rowing, you’re going to completely miss it. Got It? Okay… I feel much better now.

Listen, God gave us everything we need… the boat, a flowing river to put it in, and ports of call aplenty. All you have to do is to get the #@*! started.

Happiness awakens when living life to the fullest. And the key word here is living, which requires action… continuous moving.

In fact, if you’re not moving forward, at best you’re standing still, which I admit can sometimes be rejuvenating. But faster than quick, standing still morphs into lethargy… a breeding ground for depression. I feel bad just thinking about it.

And what better way to move forward than by tackling your to-do list.
Now, before that overwhelmed feeling once again takes your breath away, hear me out and consider this approach.

About a year ago my wife and I came up with the idea of an accountability chalk board.

The idea is, on Sunday evening we write down one thing we want to accomplish during the upcoming week… something we wouldn’t normally do if it weren’t on that accountability chalk board. Thinking outside the box on your selection actually makes it fun. Now here comes the make or break… it absolutely must be accomplished by the following Saturday evening… without fail.

I’ve found that consciously and systematically picking off one project at a time weekly, has not only whittled down my to-do list, but has also provided something I didn’t expect. I love when that happens.

It created this continuous feeling of accomplishment which has spilled over into everything I do… in other words, I’m walking tall everywhere I go. What a wonderful bonus.

Why not try it for a month and see how it makes you feel. Worst case scenario… you’ll cross four things off your want-to-do list.

Give yourself a fighting chance by starting out with the easy stuff and work up from there. Remember, just one project per week… that’s it. Sounds simple? Here’s the dirty little secret… it really is.

If after a few weeks you allow your boat to run aground, like I have done at times… no worries, just don’t let it sink you. When you’re ready, jump back in.

I have this plaque on my wall which reads… Life is a song; love is the music. Think about that for a minute.

Whatever your to do list, regardless of its nature… a chore… lose five pounds… plant a garden… do something special for your wife, write a blog post, learn something new, conquer a fear, crack open that new book, or even something as simple as singing a song at a karaoke party… doesn’t matter… there is joyful music within each.

Actually, life is an abundant collection of unique, wonderful songs just waiting patiently in our to-do list, like 45’s in a juke box from the 50’s. Go ahead… pick one and discover its sweet music… you’re going to love it. 

Bill

What motivates you to get started?

This is how to “Get Started”

Bill