You Already Know What To Do.

You would solve the problem if you needed to. So why are you waiting to be forced?

I think a lot of us could probably solve most of our problems in like thirty seconds if we really wanted to. 

You already know what to do. It’s so much more comfortable to sit around planning, or preparing for whatever the “next step” is. But that’s really just a way to avoid actually taking it, you know? 

I do this sooo much. Constantly looking for more clarity, or the perfect plan, all the steps laid out. Step 1, 2, 3, 4… and I kinda realized recently that I do it on purpose. I love anticipating stuff. Actually doing things is not as exciting for me. 

The plan is so fun. Perfecting it, reiterating over and over. Ooh, making a pros and cons list. And then that wasn’t enough, so you make another list. It feels so much safer to sit around and polish your plan, like you’re looking for a magic key that will protect you from failing or being embarrassed, losing money. Whatever the scary consequence is. 

It’s way easier to say, “I don’t know what to do,” or “I don’t know where to start.” But you do! I think most of us actually do know what to do. If you had to, you would just accomplish the thing. If you lost your job, would you really sit around whining about not knowing what to do? Maybe I need to read a book, or listen to a podcast. About what? How to apply for a job? 

You would solve the problem if you needed to. So why are you waiting to be forced? Why do we want it to be a life or death situation? That sounds awful, and way more stressful. But you know how many times I have thought to myself, “if I absolutely had to do xyz in 2 weeks, I think I could figure it out.” Then proceed to just… not even try. 

It also kinda undermines yourself. To act as if someone else knows better about your life and circumstances than you do. Some random girliepop on instagram is going to have the perfect checklist that will suddenly solve all of your problems. Just do whatever you need to do. Trust yourself, you’re not an idiot. You can figure out what you need to do, and adjust as things go wrong. How ridiculous to think that somebody else has all of the answers.

Recently I heard someone say, “the door isn’t locked.” And I thought that was funny. Like that meme when the guy is sitting in a really shallow pool of water, looking like he’s drowning, but all he has to do is stand up? That’s me, unfortunately. Just get it done. It made me think about what I was saying earlier, about trying to find some special “key” to every idea, that will ensure it’s perfect and everything is executed perfectly, and there’s no chance that anything could possibly go wrong. Literally looking so hard for a key, and the door’s not even locked. 

Okay, example. I am a kickboxing instructor, and personal trainer. I’ve also taught some women’s self defense seminars, and things like that. After moving to somewhere completely different than where I was before, I don’t really know anybody. I keep trying to come up with the best, perfect, most fool-proof plan to get some new clients, maybe do some group classes in my garage. (I have a boxing gym set up in my garage.) And I’ve done absolutely nothing to actually facilitate that. But I did make a booking website. So these hypothetical people can book their appointments. And I’m not kidding, I have spent the last like, 2 weeks, just obsessing over the font, the font. And the color scheme. Changing it, making it perfect. Trying to figure out if burgundy, or maroon will bring me more clients. Tell me, are you more likely to start boxing training if the “booking” button on the website is burgundy, or maroon?

That sounds like it’s getting into some perfectionism territory. I suppose I can make a separate video on all of that. I have found some things that have really helped me with that, maybe it’ll help you? 

It’s funny, because in my case, I got so lucky. At no point was I trying to build a career as a kickboxing instructor, personal trainer, or operations manager. I was actually running a couple of businesses. Each time I got to a “next level,” I felt wildly underprepared. Like it made no sense to hire me for each position, but I knew I could figure it out! That’s the thing. I’ve always been able to be in the fire, figure it out, do a good job, build the business… when it was somebody else’s business. That just occurred to me, right now. That could be another good video, I feel like there’s a lot to that. I don’t know you, but you’re probably the same. 

You there, probably already know what to do. If you need to watch a youtube video to learn some kind of skill in order to work toward your goal, fine, do that. But maybe watch like 1 or 2 videos. You probably don’t need to watch 16? And honestly, you’ll probably learn more about how to do it better, by actually trying and figuring out what works and doesn’t work. Instead of looking for this stupid magic key to a door, that’s not even locked. I love that. The door isn’t locked.