Starting Something New?
Starting Something New?
by Daniel Ferguson
“Start before you’re ready. Good things happen when we start before we’re ready.” - Steven Pressfield
One day a bird noticed a particularly hungry cat who was snooping around his nest. His home was quite low down in the tree, so he needed to build one higher up to keep away from the cat.
The bird started to ponder about what materials he would need, how high up the nest would need to be and how big he should make it.
“I can’t start until I know all these facts,” said the bird. A couple days went by and the bird still hadn’t made his mind up on how to build the nest.
Time was ticking and the cat was even hungrier now. The bird was sat still on a branch, still thinking about how to build the nest.
In a flash, the cat jumped up and caught the bird.
What do you think this story tells us?
We’ve all been there. There’s something we want to get done. A new adventure or journey we want to start or set up. But we procrastinate and take our time starting it, as we’re worried about negative outcomes, looking stupid and we want it to go perfectly: all linking to a fear of failure. Experiencing a feeling of resistance is a natural response to starting something new.
Instead of the bird waiting to build his nest by having things right in his head first, he should have got out there and worked it out as he built it. For example, he could've worked out the size, height and materials needed for the nest while collecting sticks and twigs for it. In this way, he could also make decisions based on the resources he has available.
Just like in my first blog, JUST START. You can never be fully ready: you’re not supposed to be. Realistically, if you’re starting something new, as much as it may feel like it, no one expects you to be perfect, you’re also not supposed to be: no one ever is!
Learn by doing.
How do you start doing?
To help you to JUST START, gain yourself some momentum by building things up in small steps. For example, the bird could have looked for his first twig, no matter the size. Then the next, then the next.
Climbing a huge staircase looks difficult when looking at the full set of stairs, but what makes things easier, is taking it step by step.
Be a beginner
When starting something new, typically you won't know much at all about what you're starting. So be a beginner. Ask questions, speak to those who have done what you're trying to do, learn the path by taking in knowledge like a sponge, because when starting, that sponge is pretty dry.
It's okay to make mistakes
Finally, when being a beginner, give yourself permission to make mistakes, when starting something new: fail, because when we fail, we learn.
If you're starting something new, take these tips on board. Best of luck!
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