Does this sound familiar to you? You’ve been jolted out of bed with that pang of inspiration & it feels like your mind’s been struck by lightening.
You’ve got ‘THE’ idea that’s going to help you be more, do more or get more from your business or ‘work’?
Your so pumped up by it & know that THIS has been what you’ve been waiting for. So you do your little victory dance and can’t get back to bed because your minds racing at 100mph now and you just want to have it all happen now!
But let’s get honest now … what tends to happen to most of those ideas for people? Yep … NOTHING!
Why’s that though because this was ‘the one’?!
Well from my experience, it’s often because of the gap that exists between the idea and getting the result. It involves a word that some people seem to have a ‘phobia’ around – COMMITMENT!
So are you a commitment-phobe?
Well if so, read on as I’ve got a different way that I look at commitment and how you then make the most of your ideas.
Right, there’s no point beating about the bush … when you say the word ‘Commitment’ – how does it fee to you? What pictures does it throw up in your head? Does it feel like it’s going to be FOREVER & makes your heart sink?
There’s good news for you though, as things don’t have to be so ‘forever forever’ in the world we live in today. Because business isn’t like a marriage or long-term relationship, but we can learn loads from those.
Think about it like this. When you go on a first date with that certain someone, are you saying to yourself – ‘If I walk through this door, I have to commit to being with this person for the rest my life & get married?’ – OF COURSE NOT!!
Instead, you take one step forward to spend some time with them, get to know them, see if they make you laugh or make you weak at your knees and then you get to decide – ‘Am I going to take the next step forward & go on another date?’. After that, there may be more dates and you never know, they really may be the ‘one’ & you do commit to them forever! (Just like I have with my wonderful wife Shareen!)
So let’s bring that back to your business idea. You’ve had that idea but it’s just an idea at the very start. But if you’re thinking that you need to fully commit right now, no bloody wonder it can feel like a big deal to really go after it and instead you can get cold feet.
How about you change your mindset and commit to going on that ‘first date’ (i.e. taking a small action) and then see if it still gets you excited to go on further & further? So commit to each small step, rather than thinking that it has to lead to a marriage proposal or ’signing your life away’!
“Commitment is an act, not a word.”
Jean-Paul Sartre
This has been a really helpful mindset for my coaching clients, as it has helped them to not just think about it but then actually take the vital steps to start building the bridge between the idea and getting to the other side.
It’s been a pleasure to see so many people getting to the other side of their bridge, who were super enthusiastic (yet somewhat overwhelmed & scared) at the thought of really going for it with their idea. But guess what – they did it – because they committed to each small step and not just dream about it!
Does it mean that you’ll definitely get to the other side? Not necessarily, as you may decide after the first couple of ‘actions’ that it’s not really for you & can turn back. But that’s OK, as at least you know & haven’t totally ‘committed’. Plus, you’d not really be going ‘backwards’ empty handed, because you can bring all the the things that you’ve learnt or discovered, which will help you get clearer on what the next ‘idea’ could be for you to go!
Also you don’t always need to burn the bridges of where you are just now either, while you’re taking those first few steps. You could do some of these as ‘side’ projects, so that it feels less risky & also gets you to see if you want to invest more of your time, energy & resources to it.
The idea or goal may also morph & get tweaked as you go along, so it may not end up being exactly how you initially envisaged it. Again, that’s great though, as you don’t know what you don’t know at the start. It’s only by taking those small steps that you get to give yourself the chance to get the result!
What I started to do in my business over 6 1/2 years ago looks quite different from what I’m doing just now. But I would never have gotten here if I didn’t act upon those ideas & visions that I had then!
Remember, an idea is just an idea and is worthless without the ACTION!
If you happen to be one of those people who are an ‘ideas factory’ and like constant variety (from a Talent Dynamics perspective – a Creator or Star especially), then for you, there will likely be a point when you’ll have to ‘commit’ to sticking to it. Because you’ll only get the results if you continue to build the bridge – without going all the way back because the ‘newest’ & ‘shiniest’ idea seems so much more desirable. Otherwise, you’ll just have lots of new bridges started and them not leading anywhere!
On the other hand, if you are the type of person who needs to have certainty & more of a plan (like an Accumulator or Trader in Talent Dynamics), then focus upon smaller ‘projects’ or milestones – as you build the bridge.
So I’ll leave you to consider (but not for too long) what ideas you’ve got bubbling away but you may have been reluctant to act on them, because of that ‘commitment’ word. How about you take it on a date & see where it leads? (Be nice though and just take one idea out at a time – you don’t want to be unfaithful now do you?!)
Please do take the time to share in the comments below, what is the idea/project/adventure that you’re going to explore more from today.
I look forward to hearing from you & wish you all the best in the fun times ahead.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
