Why Don't We Just Write the Beginning?

Many of us have wonderful ideas for change that can improve the world, our communities, or even our own lives. We envision creating something new, disrupting the norm, or establishing a niche. We become energized by these ideas, talking, writing, and dreaming about a brighter future.

Sadly, for most of us, this is where it all ends. When it's time to take that brave step forward and create a plan, we get stuck. Internally, negative self-talk takes over. Externally, naysayers emerge, voicing their doubts and negativity. These voices, both internal and external, are powerful and can easily derail progress.

Whenever a disruptor enters the market, the status quo pushes back, doing everything in its power to challenge or stop the disruption. Many people are comfortable with the status quo and would rather stay in their comfort zone than embrace the possibility of something different, even if it could be better.

Change is hard.

Change disrupts our routines,

Change creates uncertainty,

Change is often inconvenient.

Change is constant and unpredictable - it's the one thing in life that is always certain.

Recently, a friend and I were discussing a big idea for change. We imagined all the possibilities and amazing outcomes that could result from it. But then we started to doubt ourselves, wondering what the naysayers would say, where we'd find the resources, who would help, and who would try to stop us. We were talking ourselves out of moving forward.

That's when it hit me: "Why don't we just write the beginning?" We don't need to have the ending figured out. We can create a plan, knowing it will be a rough road and that nothing worthwhile ever comes easy. This simple shift in perspective helped us return to a place of creativity and courage.

This is a courageous path, and when striving for something big, we need to find ways to stay courageous. We don't have to do it alone.

As Johann Wolfgang van Goethe said, "Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness...the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too."