A client asked me the other day “why is it so hard to start?” It turns out starting an exercise program or diet is a lot like starting a new business, or applying for that awesome new job, so I’ll re-context what a recent article in Forbes.com says about starting something new: http://tinyurl.com/startfitnessnow
1. Change is not only difficult, it is scary. So, there is a natural inclination to want to delay beginning for as long as possible.
2. No one wants to fail. The easiest way not to is to never do anything (especially anything new.)
3. Perhaps even worse than failing is looking silly. No one wants to feel “not OK’. So to keep that from happening you keep thinking about which gym to join or which diet book to buy.
4. You convince yourself you don’t have sufficient money, time, approvals whatever, to start something new. You don’t want to start something half way, right? So it is better to delay until you’ve got it all lined up. And so you wait.
5. Life gets in the way. We are all busy and our “to do” lists are incredibly long as it is. Who has time to devote time to anything new right now?
All those points/objections–and the dozens more I am sure you can think of–are valid.
But quite frankly, I don’t think they matter. Either you truly want to start something new, or you don’t. Without the requisite desire nothing is going to happen. Your life will be filled in other ways.
If you really want to start something new, you will.
But here is one thing you can do to make your life substantially easier when it comes to creating something new.
Begin by “just” taking a small step toward your goal, whatever that goal is, and then pause to see what happens.
If you get a positive reaction, take another small step. Got it? Tell me about your small steps, I’d love to hear!