you can figure this out.

 

The How Excuse
From “I don’t know how to do this” to “I can figure this out”

Sounds like:
I don’t know how to start.
I don’t know how to do this, because it’s too big and overwhelming.
I don’t know how to do this the “right” way.

On the 19th of July, 2020 this year, I made a big decision.

Maybe the second biggest decision I’ve made all year (after deciding to give up the security of a full-time job to start my own business during a pandemic probably).

This decision is the thing that’s now giving me the most excitement these days — we’re talking giddy, happy dance levels of excitement here, which is something I don’t think I’ve experienced since pre-pandemic days.

I know this date specifically because — it’s the day I committed to starting a podcast.

Feeling particularly inspired after my daily stroll around the streets of Hawthorn, I came home, sat on the floor of my living room, and recorded a voice memo on my phone. A very rough voice memo.

I tell you this because, on the 19th of July I had no idea how to start a podcast.

Before this, I knew starting a podcast was something I wanted to do, but I didn’t think it was something I could do now.

I made the Right Time excuse, the Enough excuse, and even the Fear excuse.

But, on the 19th, something inside me shifted.

Maybe it was the newly announced stage 4 lockdown for Melbourne.

Whatever it was, I finally realised that — the time is now, and I have everything I need to figure out how to do this.

When you have this realisation, and you really, truly believe it for yourself — watch out.

Things. Start. Happening.

Look, I know: when you don’t know how to do something, it’s really easy to avoid doing it altogether.

You might have an idea, or a picture, of what something could possibly look like, but you’ve got no idea how to take the first step. In your mind, it looks like one big, undefined blob. Or maybe a confusing puzzle where none of the pieces seem to logically fit together.

But you can figure out how. You are equipped with the ability to find a way forward.

“How” often looks different to what we think it should look like.

We think we should have a set, clearly defined blueprint or plan, or that there’s a “right way” to get started.

But there’s no set blueprint or plan. No one right way.

The “right” way, the plan? It’s whatever YOU determine your way, your plan looks like.

“How” might look like getting out of bed, and putting one foot in front of the other. Many days have felt like that for me this year during lockdown.

But those little steps turned into bigger steps, and the more steps I took, the more momentum I built.

My first little step toward my podcast was recording a rough little voice memo on my phone on July 19th and committing.

It was September before I fully jumped in.

At first, everything felt daunting and overwhelming. But each fumbling step forward I took revealed the next step, and then the next step until — progress.

Last night I submitted my new podcast, in between, for approval from all the major podcasting platforms.

I’m recording interviews with incredible guests right now.

On July 19th, I couldn’t have even seen this far down the road. But now I’m here.

And you can be, too.

How you can break down the How Excuse:
Give yourself permission to take a small step.
Your first step, or your next step, doesn’t need to be BIG. You don’t have to do all the things at once. You can start with a small baby step. That’s not so scary right?

If you don’t know what to do, just do the next right thing.
What’s the thing you do know? Rather than focusing on the big scary undefined thing 4 steps down the road, take whatever step feels like the next right thing.

My new podcast, in between, is launching November 10! Head over to Spotify or Apple to subscribe.

 

learn 5 practical steps to help you take action right now

Grab my free creative living audio guide below

 
Previous
Previous

you can do this.

Next
Next

you can start right now.