“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
Arthur Ashe (July 10, 1943 – February 6, 1993), American World No. 1 professional tennis player
Everyone has a project in the back of their mind they’ve been meaning to get to. Sometimes there are legitimate reasons for delay, but more often than not, waiting for those elusive “perfect conditions” is actually procrastination in disguise.
Procrastination is a form of self-protection, however misguided. When we procrastinate, we’re protecting ourselves from failure or disappointment. In truth, we’re only setting ourselves up for greater heartbreak. When time runs out, we’ll look back and wonder: How might it have all turned out differently if we’d simply begun?
The act of beginning sparks a certain magic. In the book The Tools by Phil Stutz and Barry Michels, this magic force is described as “The Force of Forward Motion”:
“Its power is the power of life itself. Everything that’s alive is evolving into the future with a sense of purpose– from a single organism to a species to the entire planet. Dylan Thomas called it “The force that through the green fuse drives the flower.” The continuous existence of life over millions of years is a testament to the invincible strength of the Force of Forward Motion.”
When you begin, it is as if the universe conspires to give you more courage, more energy, and greater satisfaction than the mere avoidance of pain provides. Along the way we learn, we change, and we grow.
Nothing is really risk free. Release your desire for a perfect start and listen to Arthur Ashe: Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.
I might also add: Be amazed at what you accomplish.
