Inspiration and motivation come in brief, but vigorous waves. These intervals fill you with all the energy and drive to conquer the things you want to accomplish, but are never permanent. One day you may wake up and decide that this particular project is no longer fulfilling, and look elsewhere to spend your time and energy. If this sound like something you’ve experienced, I’d argue that it stems from lack of progress, and thus, reward.
That’s why its key to use these intervals of inspiration as efficiently as possible. No matter what your task at hand, when a wave of motivation comes along, its best put things into motion and take real action. Throw everything you can think of at the wall and see what sticks. Now you have a foundation to start real growth.
Planning is guessing and also a waste of time. You can spend hours and hours meticulously planning each step you want to take in approach to a project. Then, when you finally do get around to carrying out the plan (10 waves of motivation later, perhaps) you get to work only to discover a much better method, that you completely overlooked in the planning process. Now you’ve wasted so much time and energy working in the wrong direction.
There are things you simply cannot learn sans experience. No matter how much effort you put into planning, you will never be able consistently to predict the future (Sorry if that’s news to you). More simply, there’s no way to take into account all of the spontaneous obstacles and opportunities that will flash before you, so don’t waste your energy trying to plan for everything.
Instead, put your thoughts into immediate action. Keep a nimble and dynamic mindset, and learn to adapt at a moments notice. Things aren’t always going to play out exactly as you expected, but embrace the change, and use it as traction to get develop your project.
Next time a wave of inspiration get behind you, don’t spend the limited time thinking and planning.
Start that website.
Make that phone call.
Talk to people about your idea.
Make your Minimum Viable Product.
Start your blog.
Little by little, start establishing yourself. Seize every opportunity that comes your way. Don’t sit around and wait for it to be easy and spelled out for you. If you want something, spend your energy in ways that will get you closer to conquering your goals. Don’t write about how you’re going to do it. Don’t spend time telling other people how you’re going to do it. Take real action. Talk is cheap.
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