Sometimes, You Just Have to Start

Because if You Don't Start, You Can't Fail, but You Can't Succeed, Either

You've probably heard of “analysis paralysis” - that feeling when there are too many options, too many pros and cons to sort through. You know, that feeling that you can’t possibly take the next step forward for fear that it will be the wrong one?

I have a lot of interests, and therefore start a lot of projects, but somehow I don’t think I’ve ever defeated that feeling of needing just a little bit more research in order to know the right choice.

Eventually, I talk myself into picking a path and sticking to it, but I know a lot of productive time falls through the gaps between “plenty good enough” and “if I don’t start now, I’ll never do it”.

How much more good could we put out into the world if we could just close those gaps?

I think it’s possible - for all of us - to move forward on the things we know we should do, when we should do them. Yet, even this first post on SubStack has been lurking as an open tab in my browser for the better part of two weeks, just waiting for me to come up with the “right” topic to craft my very first post.

The “Right” Choice

It doesn’t exist! And come on, we all know it.

The belief that there is a single right thing to do is likely the biggest fallacy when it comes to starting a new project. Sure, you can make a better choice with a little forethought, but ultimately, you have to trust your future self to recognize if a pivot is required. Otherwise, commit to following what appears to be a reasonable path with the information you have available at any given time.

If it’s not clear what is the best path, it’s more valuable to start moving forward with one of the top contenders than to stagnate in indecision trying to optimize that last 10%.

Depending on the urgency and risks associated with the project ahead of you, decide on an appropriate amount of time for deliberation. Remember to factor in the risks of inaction with just as much weight as the risks of making a less-than-optimal choice, as well as how difficult it would be to change course if you acquire more information later.

When you’ve reached the end of your allotted time: no more excuses, start.

Ask yourself, if I had started a year ago, or five years ago, or even ten - I don’t know how old you are! How different could things be today?

I heard once that people tend to overestimate what they can complete in short periods of time. We’re all guilty of spending hours to finish a task after confidently proclaiming, “That will take me five minutes!” At the same time, we vastly underestimate what we can complete in longer periods, like a year. Just start your project today, and you’ll be in awe of what you might have created a year from now.

Learning to Trust Yourself

Trusting yourself is hard, but maybe that’s because many of us stupidly hang onto the idea that if our “self” was trustworthy, they would never make mistakes, right… Right?

It’s no surprise that so many people lack trust in themselves when we hold onto such an impossible standard - one to which I highly doubt you hold any person other than yourself. And if you do hold others to perfection as well, you may want to ask yourself how that standard has impacted your life and relationships, but that’s a topic for another time.

Maybe the important thing for us to realize is that no one does everything perfectly, even the celebrities and unicorn startup founders who seem to have “won at life” stand tall on their own mountain of past failures. What’s important isn’t the lack of a mistake in the first place, but the ability to learn from those mistakes and not repeat them, at least not indefinitely.

In your gut, you’ll know when you’ve gathered enough information that you can and should make your decision, a point at which further analysis is just a means of procrastination.

At that point, try to be honest about what is really driving your search for more information. While this procrastination can come from the desire to gather more information and make the best decision, another factor is that once we start, it’s possible to fail. If we gather information forever, but never really start the project, we didn’t technically fail, did we?

In your gut, you’ll know when you’ve gathered enough information that you can and should make your decision.

Unfortunately for our misguided instincts, never starting also means never having the possibility to succeed, and in my humble opinion, that’s a much worse fate. So look inside, and answer yourself honestly if you really need another day of Googling, listening to podcasts, reading books, lurking on similar blogs, and reading other people’s success stories, or if you’re finally ready to start your own success story. The faster we learn to trust ourselves and take the next step, the faster we can progress on a journey to better, happier selves.

Why Should You Care What I Say?

I’ve figured out a lot of things in life. I eat well, get outside, have an active social life, and feel fulfilled and challenged by my career.

Yet, I am still learning things every day.

I listen to a wide range of podcasts and read tons of books to understand more about the cutting edge of wellness and nutrition. I apply the things I learn to my own life to judge their impact, and keep the ones which have a positive impact. I’ve ventured into experiments with polyphasic sleep, intermittent fasting, the keto diet, the AIP diet, meditation, low FODMAP, the 75-Hard Mental Toughness program, various time management techniques, and so much more.

Many of the things I investigate turn out to be relevant to the struggles of the people around me, and I love sharing my journey in the hopes that it will help them to overcome their obstacles.

But above all, the reason that what I have to say matters is this:
I am happy, almost all of the time.

Sure, I have daily frustrations. I don’t always get along with my in-laws. Sometimes I don’t agree with the decisions my friends make. I encounter problems at work that I don’t find fun or interesting but still must solve. I even have arguments with my husband. Shocking, I know! I’m not trying to claim that I live every moment like a blissful, fairy-tale “happily ever after”. That’s not realistic for anyone, and striving for it will always leave you disappointed.

What I can claim with certainty, is that I am in control of my life. I am aware that my experience is directly connected to my choices and efforts, and that I can therefore shape that experience over time. To me, this is what it means to be ever intentional. I imagine my ideal future, and what I picture gives me a destination to guide the choices that make up my life’s roadmap. I occasionally reevaluate what kinds of things I would enjoy doing - or those I would regret not doing. This awareness, paired with the belief that I have the agency to make those things happen is what allows me to remain happy even in my lowest and most frustrating points.

Happiness is not a destination itself; Rather, it is the sensation of moving forward in the direction of your choosing.

As simple as this concept is, I’m not convinced that it’s common knowledge. If I can inspire others to find their own happiness by being ever intentional about the choices in their life, then its certainly worth my time to write my experiences and ideas.