Starting Something New with Your Work in the World
When the call to do something important feels difficult to answer
Why is it so hard to start sometimes? Especially something meaningful or with deep purpose?
Recently, I caught myself doing it again, resisting writing. Saving it like a beautiful gift put away until I have more time to enjoy it perfectly. One of the exciting aspects of starting my own business (to me!) was having the opportunity to write on a regular basis. In addition to standard content like website copy or promotional materials, there are social media posts, course plans, email campaigns, These notes to you…
That may seem daunting to some people, but not me. I was thrilled.
Until…
Until I noticed a deeper, familiar longing to be writing and sharing my voice more. And I have to admit I also had some pretty familiar reactions.
But I have a new email system to get in place.
Some new offers to develop.
New marketing channels to explore.
All things that arguably are important.
The problem, I soon realized, was that I was using those things as excuses - to not write, to not be doing the very thing I love doing. They were reasons that were stopping me from fulfilling my purpose.
“It’s the start that stops most people.” A fellow coach and friend, once shared this Don Shula quote with me. And he’s right.
Starting means making a covenant, a commitment to fulfill a desire.
STARTING ALSO INVITES IN THE POSSIBILITY OF FAILURE
And that can feel terrifying.
If you never start, you never fail.
If you never create the class, no one can ever not come. If you never paint the painting, no one can ever know it didn’t quite work. If you never write the things you really care about, no one will read it and know you in a new way.
If you never pivot from the thing you thought was right to something new that’s calling you, no one will ever know.
In one tiny moment, never starting may feel like the safer option. But in truth, it’s insidious, slowly eroding trust in your ability to seek what you desire.
WE ARE BORN YEARNING TO FULFILL OUR OWN UNIQUE SOUL’S CALLING
We’re invited to this life to be seen and heard, in whatever way feels most fulfilling and empowering. We’re given a unique set of gifts and talents, a genius and a calling that is singular and like no one else’s in the world.
Never starting denies you the chance to fulfil that longing. Never starting means you never really get to live.
When put that way, I choose to start. I may fail, and I may not. But at least I’ll have lived trying.
What about you? What do want to start today?