“Today isn’t a good day to do it; Monday I’ll start; in the new year, I’ll make sure to do that; when I get more, I’ll be able to afford to invest in myself.” Have you heard or even said these sayings? Waiting in life is the ultimate growth stopper. It’s holding you back from hopes and dreams.
Action can be tricky, especially when entering the world's unknown and uncertain chaos. In today’s post, I’ll go over why acting NOW is the only way to get actual results in your life regarding personal and professional growth.
Flashback fourteen years to 2018, I decided to jump (a first of many big jumps). I left the known, safe, and comfortable in Ontario, where I grew up. I moved across the country to British Columbia to chase a passion - not knowing one person.
Doing this at the time was scary, and I could’ve made up 1000 excuses as to why it wouldn’t work. I didn’t have enough money, had zero resources, had no idea what I was doing, and was young and inexperienced.
After a decade of hard work, pivoting, stress, decisions, and action, I could feel safe saying I achieved many of my goals and aspirations, which all started with that first leap. I built the body of my dreams, had more than enough cash in the bank account, and created the life I had envisioned many years prior.
Why does this matter? The point I want to make is that it's all of this progression and growth started with the single decision to JUMP. What if it didn't work out? If you’re scared of the unknown and uncertainty, be prepared to be scared for the rest of your life.
If you want to do something in your life and have been thinking about it day and night for a while now - do it. If you want to travel somewhere exotic, go. Give it if you want to contribute your time to a passionate area.
Waiting is the worst thing you can do, and there is no perfect time to execute. Waiting is only slowing your progress, thus slowing your results. Action is easier to say than do; this is why so many people talk about doing things but never actually act on them.
While I don’t want you to go into massive amounts of debt or make a poor decision to act now, you must have a decent judgment of the situation and what you can make happen. In my experience, waiting is the worst thing you can do.
Acting is excellent, but what do you know to act on? Taking the first step is essential, but knowing where that first step is going is sometimes more important. This is why having a vision and goals to achieve along the way will act as your guide.
Lucky for you, I’ve created a FREE goal-setting course HERE. Learn everything you need to know about creating your vision and executing it one step at a time!
Goals are the king of progression and action. Saying you want to earn a million dollars a year is excellent. But, having a plan outlining how much you need to earn each month (it’s $83,333.33, in case you were wondering), where you can earn this money, and the steps to gaining more clients or creating more products is where the real magic happens.
Goals are at the top of my list regarding wanting to do something different. They will help you chip away at your bigger (end goal) one thing at a time. They are keeping things manageable and doable.
Want to conquer the world alone? A lot of people do, and guess what? They fail. Trying to dominate the world by yourself doesn’t work. Whether you want to elevate your career, change your habits, or get back to the basics of personal care. Surrounding yourself with the right team of people to help support, guide, and mentor, you will be where (and when) you start to gain some real momentum.
Investing time or money is sometimes hard to do at the beginning. You may not have the financial resources or a lot of free time to start working on other projects. While things are tight and it may seem impossible to invest, this is the right time. While I don’t suggest emptying your life savings and putting it on black, I recommend having a logical plan to help yourself in the long run.
Investing in something brings risk, which also means it yields rewards. This is what separates successful people from the average. Successful people are willing to invest in themselves and their future because they understand it’s benefiting them in the long term. Whereas the average person focuses on the short term, they may see the investment as a financial hit. Not on the return on investment; they will see it in the future.
Jumping is scary. It may never feel like it’s the right time to do something different, but that fear can hold you back for a lifetime. Ask yourself, what’s the worst-case scenario if I decide to do this?
Be sure to enroll in my free goal-setting course to learn how to create your vision and execute your jump. Sign up here and get instant access!
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.