I’ve heard this from clients, friends, family, and work colleagues, “I’ll start on Monday.” This is one phrase which you MUST remove from your vocabulary ASAP.
Today we’ll get into the perfect time myth and how it will hinder your ability to get results. It is said often to start fresh, whether it’s the following Monday, next month, or next year.
Letting someone off the hook for a little longer is a tool or excuse. To procrastinate more and not accept responsibility for a specific time.
While I have to admit I’m not perfect and have procrastinated many times before. But, I’ve learned a lot over the past several years and have understood something valuable that I will share with you here.
Procrastination is the ultimate goal killer.
If you say you’ll follow through with something at a future date, you are merely stopping yourself from future growth.
The timing will never be perfect - for anything.
While people like to believe it’s the wrong time to start a new business, go to the gym, set new goals, or change careers, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
In fact, the BEST time to start something is NOW. Today is the best and only time when you can take action. The past is gone, and the future awaits.
Waiting to start will either lead to not starting at all (the most common) or take you longer to get the desired result you seek.
When I wanted to shift careers completely, I took my time. I was calculated about it. I needed to ensure I was in a good spot in life and a good spot financially. I wanted to ensure the best chance of success in this new endeavour.
But, I had a plan to act on. I didn’t keep putting it off and telling myself I needed to wait because the timing wasn’t right.
I started to understand the importance of acting immediately rather than procrastinating longer.
I began to realize that the perfect time would never come, and if I failed to chase my dreams, I would fail to follow through together. Therefore I’d have to live with myself and the regret of not chasing my true passion.
So, you may be asking, if there is no perfect time, what can you do to avoid procrastinating and get to work now?
Taking action is much easier said than done. I can give you all the tools you need to succeed in your life, but YOU must act on the tools to get the results.
And unfortunately, a lot of people fail to take action. I’ve met countless people who said they wanted to start a new business, become an entrepreneur, build a website, launch a YouTube channel and much more, yet none of them followed through.
Application is what you need to do to succeed in your career and in life. And this application starts with acting on what you say you’re going to do. Not for me, but for you.
You want to create a positive relationship with yourself and hold YOURSELF accountable. Sometimes this is tough. That’s why people like having someone else to hold them accountable; like a coach or mentor.
Having a coach will hold you accountable and increase your likelihood of acting sooner and more intensely.
The secret of acting - doing what you say you’ll do immediately. Know that done is better than perfect. And if you wait until things are “perfect,” you will never launch your brand, idea, or vision, EVER.
Most people I talk to and deal with daily struggle with a similar problem. The perfect time never seems to come for them because they are focusing on WAY too much.
They want to accomplish everything and anything on their to-do list for the next 12 months in a single day.
They tell me they’re doing seven different things at once and don’t have time to focus on anything else!
You must narrow your focus to fewer items. The key when focusing on less is to do what is most essential. I guarantee that 80% of the items you are doing and are focusing on each day are not the MAIN things that will get you closer to your goals.
Here’s a tip to take home - focus on a max of three important tasks a day. These tasks are crucial in achieving your big goals. If these tasks aren’t the main thing, then drop them.
I hope I’ve convinced you there is no perfect time to start. There is no golden day of the week, month, or year to chase your dream career and goals. If you want to achieve your goals, you must act with intention and act with URGENCEY.
Act immediately to avoid procrastinating and focus on only what’s essential. Stop doing tasks that waste your time if you want help creating a clear vision around your job and career, book a call below. I’d be happy to hop on a free call with you and brainstorm what’s working and what isn’t.
Click here to book a free Strategy Session.
Chris M Wilson
Chris Wilson is a keynote speaker, CTI coach, and entrepreneur. Through his Hover to Fly framework, he aims to impact the next generation in their careers and lives.