Commit. You’ll Figure It Out.
I found myself sitting in front of my computer screen for far too long, trying to find the right Wednesday Wisdom story for this week. I thought about something funny that happened over the weekend but when I began typing, the words didn’t seem that funny at all.
I erased the sentences and kept sitting there.
I then recalled a story about a friend of mine who’s going through something personally challenging right now. Maybe her story would be one that Wednesday Wisdom readers could relate to? I started typing but couldn’t get the words right. I was overthinking. And frustrated.
I decided I’d be more focused after a snack. I got up from my desk, ate a handful of pretzels, added some peanut butter for energy, and felt like this could be the boost I was looking for.
Except that it wasn’t.
I stared at my screen and waited for inspiration, magic—an idea to pop into my head so I could write a story that would be meaningful for you. But any thought that came to mind didn’t feel funny enough or inspiring enough to write about. I was stuck.
That’s when it hit me: I’m doing that thing that I coach others not to do. I was waiting for the inspiration, the motivation, the “magic” instead of simply taking action. Sure, I had writer’s block. But one way to overcome writer’s block is to, well, write. I knew logically that if I just typed whatever came to mind, I would eventually find the words I had been searching for.
I know I am not alone… Isn’t this dilemma pretty universal? We wait for inspiration first before we take action. I had a friend tell me recently that she is frustrated with how sedentary she has become during Covid. I suggested she go back to the gym. She said she will; she’s just waiting for motivation, and then she said she would definitely do that. How long will she wait—on her couch, not moving, not sweating—for the motivation to suddenly arrive?
How often do you look for motivation instead of taking action? What if you practiced doing the opposite? Commit, do something, and trust that the feelings will follow?
Have you ever dragged yourself to the gym—totally unmotivated—finished a 45 minute awesome workout, and left with pep in your step and new-found inspiration?
Too frequently we approach life backwards: we look for the feelings to occur first, and think that somehow those feelings will miraculously move us into action. We have to act first and allow our feelings to come second.
Ten years ago, my partner Kim was invited by a close friend to participate in the Pan Mass Challenge. This is a very long 211 mile bike ride that stretches across Massachusetts and finishes all the way out in Provincetown, Cape Cod. Kim said yes to the invitation. But at the time she wasn’t much of a bike rider. She had never ridden that many miles and—wait for it—she didn’t even own a bike! But she said yes anyway. (For those of you unfamiliar with the Pan Mass Challenge, it has raised tens of millions of dollars for Dana Farber cancer research.) What I love is their motto: “Commit. You’ll figure it out.” And that’s what Kim did. She said yes despite her nervousness and doubts and other uncertain feelings, and she figured it out. In fact, she completed it four years in a row and raised a total of $20k for cancer research. Each time she did it, it was physically challenging and took months of preparation in all kinds of weather. It didn’t feel good to do the ride—but it sure felt great afterwards once it was over and she realized what she had accomplished.
Where are you stuck? What if, despite your feelings or lack of motivation, you instead took action. Commit. And trust that you’ll figure it out.
This Week’s Resources
An Update on the Sport of Dressage
I apologize for last week’s message when I questioned whether dressage is a “real” sport. I humbly stand corrected by many of you who reached out with your own personal experiences! I now understand that the horse and rider are partners in this event, and that trust and communication between the two are key. This sport is both physically and mentally challenging for the rider. And the true art is that the horse appears to be doing all the work! Want to learn more? Here’s a great article sent in by another reader. Thank you, friends, for sharing your wisdom with me this week! dressage complete athletes
Not All Inheritance is Created Equal
When you are thinking about leaving behind inheritance, do you wonder what might be meaningful for your beneficiaries? You might guess it’s money—and I’m not saying you’d be wrong—but there are a few other things they might also be interested in. What if I told you they care as much about what’s in your attic as they do what’s in your IRA? Check out this AARP article for a list of 12 things people actually want to inherit: 12 things your kids want to inherit
A Walk Down Memory Lane, Via Sitcoms
We can learn a lot about history and culture by going back to the 1950’s and studying the evolution of the American sitcom. From I Love Lucy, to Family Ties, To Frasier and the more recent Blackish, this sitcom documentary will take you on a terrific trip down television memory lane. Check out The History of the Sitcom: CNN history of the sitcom
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