Can you just do it?
When I was young and naive and working on my first coaching certification, I heard other coaches vent about their frustration with clients who didn’t make efforts. Since I was knee deep into learning every possible reason why people don’t do what they “should do” and how to help them get unstuck, I thought these coaches lacked empathy. I thought maybe they were in this business for the wrong reasons. My belief was “if people could do better, they would.” And I was determined to work with them to make possible what they couldn’t do alone.
As I gained more experience over the years, I sometimes looked back to that day with compassion for myself and my naïveté. These coaches weren’t wrong. Some people fail themselves, not because they don’t know what to do but because they are too complacent. Lucky for me, given the nature of my business, I rarely encounter complacent people. If you’re reading this, you’re probably not the complacent type either. So why am I even bringing this up???
Because even if you are brilliant, courageous, ambitious, dedicated, and successful, you probably have moments where you could “just do it” but you don’t. There is no deep fear, trauma, or lack of knowledge or strategy holding you back. There is no rational and valid reason. It may be because you have a lot on your plate and can’t imagine adding anything to it. Or maybe you temporarily forgot why this is important to you. Bottom line… it’s not happening!
It looks hard but it is not
When you are overworked and/or overwhelmed it is common to focus on getting through the day and have no energy or time to think about what you really want in your life, what personal goals you’d like to pursue, or ask yourself if you are happy. But what kind of life is this? One of excessive sacrifice! I don’t think it’s worth it and I promise you it’s not sustainable long term.
No matter how busy you are, you must find a moment to reflect and set some goals for yourself. Then you will realize that small changes can make an enormous difference over time. So if you want to meditate daily, start exercising, read more, spend more time away from electronics, or whatever else you need, stop overthinking it, just do it!
The key is to stop overthinking, stop justifying why you can’t, stop waiting for a more convenient time, stop blaming things or circumstances, stop making excuses, and just do it!
You probably spend more time thinking about it and feeling guilty that you aren’t doing it, than time it would take to just do it!
5 reasons why you should Just Do It
#1: Use that momentum
When you are feeling an impulse to do something, just do it because once the moment has passed you may struggle to find the motivation again later. Act when you are feeling inspired and excited! This is your intuition guiding you. Listen to its wisdom instead of letting old habits stop you from improving any aspect of your life.
#2: It’s easier than you think
If you try to carefully plan something in your mind, you will most likely over-complicate things and over-estimate the level of difficulty involved. Keep things simple. Do it now and you won’t have to overcome indecisiveness or resistance like you would days from now.
#3: Feel good about yourself
It will feel so good! You will prove to yourself that you are capable. You will stop beating yourself up for waiting and avoiding. You will see measurable progress and it will be tremendously invigorating. Just do it!
#4: There is no other way
Whatever level of difficulty or discomfort you perceive won’t magically disappear in the future. The only way to make something easier is to become more experienced. So take the first step, then the next, and the next. That’s how you’ll reach your goals. Your long term goals may be intimidating but your first step isn’t. Just do it!
#5: You’ll be better for it
Deciding to be more intentional instead of reacting to each day’s demands will make you a better leader. You will become more self-aware and make better decisions. You will allocate your time and other resources to what is important to you. You will open your mind to new ideas and stop doing what isn’t working or isn’t important. You won’t have regrets. New doors will open for you.
Just do it!
You’ll be glad you did.
If you want to go further than just doing what is important right now and would like to take a step back to re-evaluate your organization and time management, do it! I can help you think strategically how to reduce your workload and obligations in order to free up more time to do what makes you happy. You can start my 5-week self-study program for only $47 (click here for details) or better yet, let’s schedule a call to discuss working together. You are really good at helping others; how about you let me help you for a change? Imagine how your life would transform if you had less pressure and more free time! Let’s do it!
About the author: Dr. Audrey Reille has empowered thousands of professionals through one-on-one coaching, group coaching, speaking engagements, online courses, and interviews on international telesummits. Audrey is the go-to coach for leaders in higher education administration. She empowers them to thrive by reducing stress, optimizing strategies, improving professional relationships, and developing a strong and empowered mindset.