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Extraordinary happens today, not tomorrow

How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?

As the new year begins, the cultural habit of setting goals and resolutions has kicked in. Gyms will become overrun with people promising that, this time, it will be different. It’s time to start that project I’ve always wanted to start, or make that thing I’ve always wanted to make.

It’s a noble attempt that ultimately falls short. Why? The answer is simple;

Waiting for the perfect moment will never be enough.

You don’t need to wait for some arbitrary date to set a goal. If you do this, you’re making excuses. You’re afraid. Imagine getting to November and you never started that project. What’s your goal next year; to do it for real this time?

In the meantime, you throw another two months down the drain as you wait for the perfect moment to sweep you away, like a Disney prince whisking away the lucky princess. You see inspiration and motivation as an external influence, a fairy tale ending that will one day romance you and give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of.

That is not how the world works. You do not need the start of a new year to start the new you. Success comes from planning your every move and creating healthy, consistent habits.

Extraordinary happens today.

It could have happened yesterday, too, but the past has been and gone. What you want could be yours, if only you stopped waiting for right time and started. You don’t have to have high expectations; just show up and begin the process.

Your goals must be small, frequent and achievable. Aiming to write a book when you can’t even write a novelette is only setting yourself up for failure. It is the dopamine hit we get when hitting a target that encourages our brain to repeat the activity and form a consistent habit; give it to yourself little and often.

Imagine fearing mediocrity, so you never start, only to remain mediocre at it because you never started. Is this really the paradox you want your life to be based on?

Photo by Niklas Ohlrogge on Unsplash