Action Brings Clarity: Start and You’ll Find Your Way

“This is your world
You’re the creator
Find freedom on this canvas
Believe that you can do it.
‘Cuz you can do it.
You can do it.”

~Bob Ross~

Feeling Ready 

We have all had moments in which, no matter our field, it is difficult to begin. If this wasn’t true, the phrase “I don’t know where to start” wouldn’t exist. So, what do we do when we want to find clarity but feel stuck? I once heard Bobby Gruenewald, the man who started You-Version speak about trying to create the app when Apple was first making the App Store. He said he knew he had to be one of the first 200 people who released an app. It would have been tempting to say he wasn’t prepared for that step and release it after some more tweaks. The program was bare-bones and very buggy, and there were so many updates in the first few weeks! It was far from perfect. But he got it out there in that first 200 in the App Store. Today, it’s the most-used Bible app by far. He knew he just had to present it, even imperfectly—he needed to be first. This required action quickly, before he felt ready, knowing that there was going to have to be adjustments but that he had to go ahead and create something simple. Hearing him talk about his experience reminded me that good timing doesn’t mean that the product is pristine and everything has been worked out, that grace is very necessary, and that often we have to jump in before we feel ready.

The Perfect Place to Start

Sometimes, we don’t know where to start. The great thing is that we don’t have to. If anything, the perfect place to start is wherever we can. Sometimes we write the conclusion before the introduction, or we only know the barest beginnings of our idea. Regardless of the type of task or the scope, we all feel a little out of our depth or overwhelmed by things at times. The most important thing is that we find a place, any place, and begin.

The Perfect Time to Start

As for a time to start, that one is simple, and you can probably guess it. It is almost deceptively simple, but as has been said often, simple is not the same as easy. It is always better to start now, today. Often, our pride or perfectionism (really, two sides of the same coin) can get in the way of the beginning  because we claim we don’t feel “ready.” The thing is, we likely will never feel completely ready for being vulnerable or taking a risk. Waiting on that certainty is an insidious trap that can wrap us in comfort and the warm blankets of complacency until we are comforted to death—the death of a dream, of an idea, of hope, or even of a career. The sooner we accept that we will have to start and we likely won’t feel all the way ready, the better.

The Perfect Way to Start

There are so many questions we ask ourselves, like, “What is the best way to do this? ”This answer may seem general, but it is the foundation of effective and genuine action. Start with your purpose in mind, in a spirit of kindness toward others and grace toward yourself. Begin every endeavor knowing that you will do your best but also make mistakes and be human, and so will the people around you, whether they are clients, peers, or investors. If you do this, then no matter what the outcome is, you can hold your head up and be proud. And you’ll know that you will always emerge from the experience having learned something new. As soon as you do something, it’s going to shift and change. We have to keep adapting as well.

Getting Things in Order 

For my business, I did a beta-launch of a course before feeling like I had a complete grasp on how to present the material. All the ideas were there, but I wasn’t sure about the sequence. So I just put them in an order that worked and then shared them. The clarity didn’t come before I shared them, but within the small group, where I could clearly see where things needed to go. The fact that the order changed based on how people responded didn’t make the launch a failure; on the contrary! I would even be so bold to say that it was better that I didn’t have a tight grasp on what I thought the order should be, but instead was able to be open to feedback and curate the course to be the most helpful and intuitive with the help of the people who were in the group.

Taking Action

So what step are you putting off until you feel ready? What if you put something together and acted instead of waiting? Created something simple and shared it? Followed up with someone even if you wish you felt a little farther along or polished? That clarity you are searching for will come, so gather up your courage and step out. I am here to cheer you on and maybe coax you out of that cozy blanket of biding your time. Good things happen when you begin.

The GPS cannot redirect a parked car! Get going and adjust from there.

Heather is a productivity and business coach, specializing in offer creation and funnel building. She especially enjoys helping clients create micro-offers that help build their list and create passive income.

You can find her at www.heatherrosson.com

[email protected]

520-314-8500