Should you do it just because you must, or should there be other reasons to push you to action? That’s the question as I wrestle with putting fingers to the keyboard.
Of course, one can wait for inspiration, but writing is also thinking. So if writing is thinking, it can never be a mindless rant.
So ends my rant.
As I was looking to write, I thought of Rihanna’s song “Shut up and drive”, as as it captures jumping out of an analysis paralysis phase and pulls you into action. A quick search showed me that there is a Shut Up & Write community.
Ecclesiastes said it so many years ago, and it made me think again. There is nothing new under the sun, just things we yet have to discover.
There’s an old saying that emphasizes starting, that pitching up is already half the battle. Any change worth pursuing, whether it’s a health goal, spiritual or financial, does require significant commitment just to start. To go from “I want to” to “I am” is a huge step worthy of patting yourself on the back.
Once you start, more things will inevitably change, for there is no plan that could take into account all possibilities. When this happens, and especially when the path ahead is so foggy, persistence is key. Do your homework, assess your options, and keep going. By keeping the journey interesting, and building in rewards, you’ll be clearing the fog bit by bit.
While a great beginning is half the battle, a committed middle is a critical element to finishing well.
For different people, the start of a project might be different, and is influenced by the stake each person has in it. For the client who initiates the project, the project starts with the initial idea, a definition of the problem or an opportunity worth exploring. For the contractor, hired to deliver the product, or part thereof, the project starts when the client says: “Here, I want you to do this for me.”
As with any exchange in sports or anywhere, it is important that both know about the handover, and what to do when the ball or baton has passed from one to another. A poor handover means that the ball or baton is dropped, and it is much harder to reach the goal of the project.
Taking the time to understand why we are doing this project together, and how each person contributes to the goal, helps to anticipate and prepare for a smoother handover, and, ultimately, a better project outcome.
Sometimes, you’ll hit a snag. It might seem insurmountable when you weigh up your options. Or you might not have hit a snag, it’s just that you haven’t started yet. You’re agonizing about all the ways you might do what you’re supposed to do. You might be looking for hacks to make it easier.
You will realize that, more often than not, it’s easier than you thought. The real learning happens when you start, and you realize that most of your worries were a real waste of your time. That hack that took you hours to find, the same hack you couldn’t find, was not worth it.
When you stop stewing and start doing, work gets done, bit by bit. The progress will look slow, but when you look back after a while, you’ll be surprised how far you came.
Random Walks 