I have read and been inspired by Chris Guillebeau for years. One of the main things I've learned from him is to move beyond the plan. I'm a planner. I also like to think I am very purposeful in my actions. Sometimes, however, I get stuck at the dream stage. It's not bad to have dreams, but often out of fear I've failed to pull the trigger. The bigger the dream, the longer I delayed to act. Dreams have died. Plans go unaccomplished and promises go unfulfilled.
As I entered my middle-age, I cognitively decided to make a change. If I had a dream, I decided to act on it. If I had a goal, I chose to work on it. If I made a plan, I learned to pull the trigger and get started. It was these experiences that cause me to add this simple principle to my Fletchifesto: JUST START.
Self explanatory, right? I've even talked about this before in an earlier blog post. You can dream forever and you can make plans that Never. Get. Anywhere. What would it look like if you were motivated to get started? What would it look like if someone shared a dream or told you their plans, and you simply asked: "What's your first step?" In otherwords, what is it going to take for you to get started?
How about you? Right here. Right now. As the reader of this blog post or if you have been reading along with the entire Fletchifesto, have any of my quotes inspired you? Maybe you want to create your own manifesto? Maybe you have been encouraged to start something new? Or let me make it even more simple than that, what is today's dream?
As we kick off the new year, are you considering a new job? Have you been thinking through moving to a new location? Is this the year for you to travel? Are you going to finally restore, mend or build a new relationship? Are you going to finally pursue faith? health? knowledge?
Can I encourage you to just get started?
Just Start.
Stop talking and start doing. Set your goal. Develop a plan. Find your team. Build your dream. Get started. Today.
This blogpost is hitting the web on the first day of the year. The New Year celebration has just ended. Why don't you turn your next thing into a goal for the new year?
One more thing. One of the ways I have learned to accomplish more in my life is by living out loud in community. Let me make this easy for you: Simply leave a comment on this blog post or on the social media platform you are reading this through. Let me know what you are going to start.
What is your goal? What is your first step? What is your next step?
Let's do this together.
Quietly making noise,
Fletch