In last year’s New Years Day blog, What is your one word for 2019? I was really focused on achieving some ambitious goals. I chose the word ‘commitment’ to serve as a reminder throughout the year. In reflecting back, I had an incredible 2019 accomplishing personal and professional goals. So maybe focusing on the one word actually worked.
Heading into 2020, I think I am going to shift away from just one word (although I think if I was to choose one this year it would be ‘purpose’), and I’m going to go with a mantra. This year’s mantra is ‘Just get started!’.
Earlier this year, I was listening to my friend Candace Mau’s Everyday Joy podcast and she referenced a parable highlighting the benefits of taking a just get started approach.
A woman had been nagging her husband to paint the bathroom. He said he would get it done, but not to question his methods. So he went into the bathroom and drew an outline of a 2 foot by 2 foot square. She asked what he was doing, and he said, ‘remember not to question my methods’.
He then went and got his painting stuff from the garage and began painting the 2×2 square. When she looked in the bathroom later in the day, he had painted 75% of it. He then quickly finished the whole bathroom.
When she asked about his method, he said that he could commit to painting a 2×2 square on the wall and then once he started, he knew he would be able to get it done.
Paraphrased from Candace Mau’s podcast after she paraphrased from life coach William Wood, who paraphrased it from who knows where
The story has stuck with me and I’m finding the approach works across many of many different areas (pods) in my life. We all know the Nike slogan, Just Do it! Of course, that it is always easier said than done. Too often the ‘it’ is an end result. But what if the ‘it’ is just getting started on the first step to achieving ‘it’.
So I thought I would share some insights and tips on how to just get started.
Build Momentum
They talk a lot about momentum in sports, but you see it everywhere. Political races, product launches, social media trends, etc. But in our personal and professional lives, where does momentum come from? I wrote a Perficient blog in 2018, Sometimes you have to manufacture momentum. I actively use many of these techniques, including listening to music, getting organized, and feeling grateful. For some of us, momentum is created by fresh starts or recharging by taking time off and listening to holiday music 24/7 (like my wife Katie). For others, it may be going on a long run, while listening to old school heavy metal (that would be me).
Take a Risk!
It’s super easy to talk yourself out of anything and rationalize reasons for not doing something. They say that it is a lot easier to learn things as a child. Sometimes I think that is because kids are less risk-averse and don’t self-talk themselves out of things. Before you can ice skate, you have to lace up the skates. You have to step on the ice for the first time. It takes encouragement and support from others, but at the end of the day, it comes down to your ability to get started by putting one foot in front of the other.
Let Things Incubate
Once you get something started, it sits in the back of your mind and you can subconsciously build on it. The next thing you know, you have improved upon your idea without doing anything but letting time pass. When I have a big presentation to create, I find that sketching out a quick outline and walking away is a great way to get started. While I’m ‘sleeping on it’, walking the dog, or going for a drive, I gain perspective that I didn’t have sitting in front of the screen. Excitement builds around the ideas and it goes from being a daunting task to something I can’t wait to get done.
Fail Fast
By quickly getting started on something, you also may discover that it’s actually not something you want to finish or it isn’t going to play out like you intended. By just getting started, you can quickly make the necessary changes or determine to just stop. In this scenario, you stop beating yourself up for not getting going and shift your energy to other things you have deamed more worth your time and effort. This isn’t really failing, but focusing.
Anyway, I’m glad I took the risk and launched this blog last year. It’s a reminder for me on how just getting started on something can turn out.
Thanks so much for reading and I can’t wait for what things get started in 2020!