Thinking About The Work vs Doing The Work
Quit talking about it and start doing it – how many times have you said that to yourself?
Having an idea is great. But sometimes, we can be in a place where we just don't follow through with it. We can feel so much accomplishment from saying we're going to do something, but it’s fear that holds us back from doing what we're meant or inspired to do.
For a long time, I had an idea. I spent months thinking about it and planning it. But how much of that time did I actually spend doing things to work towards it? About 10%.
Can you relate?
We usually spend most of our time thinking about the work rather than doing it and we can put this down to excuses. Maybe you don’t think there’s enough time or money – when actually, there’s usually more of an underlying reason that you just haven’t realised.
Eventually, I discovered that I wasn't doing the work, because I didn't want to do it. It wasn't important enough to me. I was feeling guilty every single day because I wasn't getting any further, so much so that it was affecting my mood and relationships. Is any project worth that? I don’t think so. It’s easy for someone to say just start or, it'll all be easier once you start doing it. But it doesn't always go that way.
So if you're in this struggle right now, where you're thinking about the work but not doing it, here are a few things to consider.
How Much Do You Really Want It?
This is the first thing to think about when you're in this position. How much do you really want it? If you want it more than anything, then the work needs to be done and I've no doubt you'll get it done. But if you pause or think about something else you want more, then that’s when you need to rethink. Lately it seems that every other person is starting their own business. And when everyone is doing something, you feel like you need to do it too. Everyone is going on Periscope – I need to do that too. Everyone is writing advice posts about blogging – I need to do that too. This could be the same thing, and the reason why you're just thinking about the work and not doing it. Which means you might not want it as much as you think.
Ask yourself how much you really want it. Don’t think about what other people are doing or what your life might look like in 5 years. Ask yourself if you really want it and you're willing to do the work for it now. Then listen to your gut – it’s one of the best tools you have.
Are You Just Doing It In Place Of Something You Don’t Have?
This was a big game changer for me. Once I got a job I actually liked and looked forward too, I realised that my big business idea was just because I was at a job I didn’t like. I wasn't being fulfilled in my career. So I needed something else to work towards, to make me feel like I wasn't wasting my time. But as soon as I knew I was in the right job and decided to focus on that and not my business idea, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
Just because you're unemployed, stuck in a bad job or don't know what to do with your life, doesn't mean starting your own business is the right answer. Patience is the key here and that is something a lot of people actually lack. It turns out that, whilst I thought the idea of working from home and creating my own schedule would suit me, routine suits me a lot more, and I love the routine I'm in right now.
Something a lot of people do is make rash decisions. They jump into things really quickly and before they know they're doing something they don't want to do. You've got to decide whether it's worth the risk.
Will you truly be living your life doing this?
Being intentional is so important. If you're constantly thinking about the future, whether that's two weeks, two months or two years from now, you'll miss everything. If this idea that you aren't doing the work towards means you'll get to be intentional and live your life the way you want to, then great. But if it starts to feel like a chore or starts to take over everything else in your life, stop. Stop before 6 months have passed and you can't think of anything you've done outside of this work. Stop before you miss your life. You're living it right now.
a FINAL NOTE...
Deep down you'll know the answers to these questions. You'll know why you're just thinking about the work and not doing it, even if in the past, you haven't wanted to admit it to yourself. Realising what you really want means you can start building a purposeful life. Be content with where you are. So what if everyone is starting a business? If you find a day job that you love, keep it and be creative on the side. Be different. Life is more fun that way.
I'd love to know, have you been in a situation where you've been talking about the work but not doing it? What did you do?