Why We Wait
The barriers that prevent action
This month two of my friends have decided to take action on a lifelong goal and dream that they’ve had. For years, I’ve listened to them both tell me how they’ve always wanted to do these things. I’m thrilled for them!
After I spoke to them, it took me back to a time when I was stuck, waiting.
Waiting to take action. Waiting to just go for it.
I waited and waited. But what was I really waiting for?
The first barriers that always come to mind are time and money. Time is an arbitrary barrier. If something is important enough there is always a way to find time. I wrote about time in a past post entitled, I Don’t Have Time.
Depending upon what your dream or goal is, the money barrier can be a very plausible reason to wait. Sometimes the need for money can make it unrealistic.
Beyond the barrier of money needed to fund an idea or business, most barriers are thoughts or reasons we tell ourselves to wait.
We put off making changes, chasing dreams or obtaining goals because we want to wait.
The question to ask yourself is, why are you waiting?
We wait out of the fear of being judged for what we do.
We wait for the timing to be perfect.
We wait to get that feel good feeling.
We wait for a stamp of approval, or the assurance that things will work out and be fine.
So, we continue to wait longer.
The truth is, we’re always going to be judged, the timing will never be perfect, hard decisions never feel good and the only stamp of approval that matters is your own.
I waited too many years to start Spilled Coffee. I waited too long to write my book. And for what? I accomplished nothing by waiting. So, why did I wait?
Fear of uncertainty
Fear of the unknown
Fear of criticism
Fear of being judged
Fear of failure
One of my biggest regrets is that I didn’t do it sooner. How many times do we hear others say they wish they had done something sooner? Do you ever hear, I wish I had waited longer?
In this current moment you know the variables. You know the risks, the positives and negatives. In waiting, you add an element of time that brings with it unknown variables for the better, or worse. The future is totally unknown. We have no idea what the future months and years will bring.
Waiting for a stamp of approval? I stamp it! That feel good feeling? It will come once you finally decide to act and do it. Perfect timing? The perfect timing is now. Take the leap. Don’t wait like I did.
The Coffee Table ☕
The Bear is the best TV series that I have watched this year. It’s such a raw, funny, fast and tense show. A successful young chef leaves one of the best restaurants in the world to come take over his brother’s sandwich shop in Chicago after he passes away. The Bear depicts the life as a chef and how it can be in a kitchen. I can’t wait for the next season.
Thomas Kopelman wrote a nice post on The Most Dangerous Phrases In Personal Finance. How many of these phrases have you told yourself? I like how he provided good points to address each phrase.
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