How to Start… Anything

Imagine this. You have the idea for a book. You write the book. You become a world famous author.

The germ of an idea of a new painting hits you. You go to the canvas. You paint it. Somebody sees it and you become a world famous artist.

You think of a new site that could be worth making. You make it. People come. You become a multi-million dollar company in a year.

All those things are absolutely possible to every single one of us. The only thing they have in common is, when the idea struck, instead of making all the excuses in the world not to do it, the person got up and did it.

There are thousands of reasons not to do things. I can think of 100 why I shouldn’t even get up this morning and start writing more of my book.

I’m tired is the main one. But because I wanted to take photographs today as well, the other one is the weather’s not as good as I thought it was going to be.

I can’t start yet because I haven’t had coffee.

I can’t go out yet because I haven’t put my eyeliner on.

I can’t I can’t I can’t I can’t I can’t.

The thing is, the only thing that is stopping me, and probably you, is fear. Before I even start I’m thinking I’m going to fail …. There’s no point …. someone’s already done it …. why do I even bother.

And of course the stock-in-trade, ‘I really don’t have the time’ which is basically the same thing as above but in different words.

So my secret to starting something is to stop worrying about it. Who cares if somebody has already done it. They didn’t do it like you are. You’re uniquely you. Who says you’re going to fail? Fail at what? You haven’t done anything! That’s the failure! You’re already failing so anything you do beyond that is a success!

How do you know there’s no point if you haven’t tried to do it? Who told you there was no point? More importantly if somebody did why the hell are you listening to them?! How did they know there’s no point… have they tried and failed? …

Don’t listen to other people. Don’t even listen to yourself. There is only one you, and only you can do what it is you have to do.

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By the time you read this you could have started writing your own book, or started whatever it is you want to do.

…..and now I’m going to go and have coffee. I’m going to get up and I’m going to actually get on with something. Go! Get out of my bedroom… I need to get dressed!

Abbie (226)

Manager + on large art site Pixels.com Site owner and painter of awesome oils and watercolours.

Wannabe author and hardcase treehugger. All opinions are my own. Personal site is at https://abbie-shores.com