With all the rage about finding our passions and following our gut, we sometimes forget that life moves forward because we often have to do things we don’t necessary want to or have some apprehensions about. Neil Armstrong may have been excited to get on the moon, but he very likely had a moment right before he opened the hatch, “maybe this isn’t that great an idea….” The point is he didn’t let that momentary “WAIT” stop him from going through and taking that step. Sometimes our gut is not revealing our natural instinct that something is right; rather, it’s merely a reflection of our fear tightly knotted together in a heavy mass in the pit of our stomachs. Therefore, it’s critical – but not easy – to separate what is instinct pointing us to the right direction and what is fear holding us back from indescribable joy. After all, who are we to deserve indescribable joy? We are.
The Activation Energy
Mel Robbins argues that one key thing preventing anyone from getting what they want is not forcing themselves to activate and instead, go through life saying, “everything’s fine” when it’s not. She notes how our nature is not to feel uncomfortable, and that any action or energy that shakes us from our autopilot lives is going to feel uncomfortable for a while. Yet it’s that action that leads us on the path we want.
“An object in motion tends to remain in motion along a straight line unless acted upon by an outside force.”
~ Isaac Newton
Action requires energy
- Say hi – and farewell – to the fear
Fear is not the enemy. Fear keeps us honest. Fear keeps us aware. Fear keeps us ready. Fear of fear is what takes us down. Acknowledge what you’re feeling, hug it, embrace it, and take its hand as you lead it down the path you’re headed. Fear – and you – will quickly see that there is no place in the journey for it. Then you can let go of its hand, thank it for its role, and bid it adieu.
- Get uncomfortable
Forcing ourselves to do something often feels icky. After all, it feels so much better to hide under the covers on a cold day, right? Yet if we hide under the covers all day, we miss out on all the wonderful opportunities that await outside. Yes, it might be cold, raining, snowing. It doesn’t feel all that great when the winds in your face, but that’s the only way we can get to point B.
3. Stop making excuses
We all do it. There’s always a reason not to take that step, but often, what we’re doing is trying to package the simple fact that we’re too scared to motivate ourselves to effect our own change. We want someone else to make miracles for us. Yet when we hear others make excuses, we get frustrated at their inaction and wholeheartedly say to them, “you can do it!” We truly believe they can. Turning that same belief on ourselves can cause miraculous shifts within us.
4. Tell someone else
Be accountable to the action by telling other people. Do it with someone else. Stop living inside your head as “I should be doing this….” Tell it to the universe, a friend, a colleague so that other people will ask you why you’re not doing it in the event you try and back out of it.
5. Do it within 5 seconds
The 5 second rule is that if you have an inkling to do something, do it quick or else it becomes way too easy to say, eh, later. And eh, later usually means never. This is not to say to be blindly impulsive, but rather to watch for our tendencies to overthink and overanalyze, which then leads to paralysis.