I had trouble sleeping the other night.
I was lying in bed thinking about when we know exactly what we should be doing – yet we don’t do it.
We’re not confused about what we should be working on, we have a clear well thought out plan.
We need to work on Project A. Simple. Cut and dry.
Project A is our number one priority.
Yet we don’t. We check Facebook or watch Netflix instead.
Why the hell does this happen?
Is it a combination of fear and procrastination or something more complicated?
Here are two thoughts that jumped into my head when I was considering why we don’t dive in when we know we should.
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Are we afraid of hard work?
We want to start or grow a business.
We understand that we are going to have to work long hours. We know that it is going to be hard. We are most likely going to have to give up some relaxation time with family and friends.
We know all that going in yet knowing and doing are completely different beasts.
Once we get into the thick of the work, things change dramatically. Before we know it we are burnt out, tired, exhausted, feeling overwhelmed, and wondering how we can go on.
Suddenly we’re questioning – isn’t there some sort of shortcut to success?
Surely we can get the results we want without all of this bloody hard work. Isn’t there some way we can get rich and famous without having to do Project A, B, and C?
We head off to Google to search for a shortcut. We search for a hack. We search for a way we can get around doing the actual work.
Then we realize there are no shortcuts.
Yes, there are tips for being more efficient and productive and for automating certain processes but that doesn’t stop the core work from needing to get done.
Many people simply don’t try because they know how much hard work will be involved or they give up once they understand how much work is required.
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Are we afraid of truly investing ourselves?
There is a point where we can half-invest ourselves, yet fail to take the final steps to truly commit.
This is odd really because the one thing we want to do is commit. We dreamed of committing. We dreamed of taking the plunge. Or that is at least what we’ve been telling ourselves!
Once we take the plunge, the water turns out to be a little murkier than we imagined.
We are scared of the unknown, the uncertainty. We know deep down if we commit ourselves 100% our life will change.
What if the change is for the worse, we secretly ask ourselves?
Best invest just enough to keep life sailing along the same. Don’t cause too many ripples in the water.
What if the change is for the better?What if it gives us everything we want? How could we possibly consider that a bad thing?
Sometimes change, the one thing we are craving can also be the thing that scares the hell out of us and holds us back from taking the plunge we need the most.
It’s like we’ve been big and brave and dived off the cliff, but decided to tread water for a while instead of climbing back up and diving off again.
Take the plunge.
Make the dive and work on Project A. Get the sucker out into the world. Then take the plunge again.
If self-doubt is holding you back, I highly recommend taking the How to Break the Habit of Self-Doubt and Build Real Confidence online course over at CreativeLive. This course is taught by the amazing Mel Robbins. I took this course earlier in the year and it was a game-changer for me.
You can read my review of the course and how it can benefit you in my review post.
Regardless of whether you are starting a new business, deciding whether to start a new relationship, or looking to change jobs, get comfortable with the work and commitment required.
Don’t be afraid to make a big splash. It might be hard work at times but it will be worth it!
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I absolutely struggle with a fear of investing myself – a fear that the “payoff” won’t be worth the investment in the long run.
I want a sure thing! 🙂
Hi Britt
I can so relate to that. I am very much in the same boat at the moment. It can be hard putting so much sweat and tears into a project having no idea if the investment will pay off. Can be very daunting and even demotivating at times. I do like the idea of the sure thing. I guess it’s the long run that we sometimes need to focus on though.
Great to see you here again, always good to see your smiling face. 🙂
Cheers
Thea
I read this the other day on my phone and wanted to come back and say something. (I have a BlackBerry that won’t let me comment on anything I read, no matter which site, for some reason.) I struggle with this all the time. I think, like Britt said, it’s a fear of the unknown. I know exactly what I need to do to become a more successful freelance writer and get my work — and name! — out there. Doing it is the hard part. 😉
Hi Liz
Great to see you here. Thanks for commenting.
I can relate to what you said about knowing exactly what to do and yet still struggling with it. Doing is definitely the hard part.
Fear of the unknown can be quite overwhelming. We can put so much effort into a piece of work and have no idea if it will even be noticed or accepted. Yet we need to keep pushing ourselves to get where we want to be, though it goes without saying some days this is just harder than others.
Look forward to seeing you here again.
Cheers
Thea
I love this post and these are great questions to ask yourself. We are all afraid of losing everything but to not dive in (in my opinion) will only cause a person to have mediocre success. We are dealing with this daily ourselves. We question ourselves we look for easier ways to make it happen and we stress about investing money into the things that we know we need to do. In the end though, we know that we love what we are doing and will continue to pursue our dreams no matter how long it takes. So really, we have nothing to fear, because we don’t plan on ever giving up.
Hi Deb
Great to see you here! Thank you so much for your comments.
I have to say I just love that last line of your comment. If you don’t plan of giving up, then there is nothing to fear. Pure gold!
I total understand the questioning investments etc. I can imagine there would be a lot to think about when it comes to travel and how to spend your money wisely. I certainly know there are enough different decisions to make simply by running a blog.
I have to say I love what the two of you are doing. So incredible! You guys have done some amazing things. I also love your motto – Adventure is for everyone. Could not agree with you more.
Thanks again for commenting and I look forward to seeing you here again soon.
Cheers
Thea