Say when it's time to begin...and begin!
I was having lunch with a friend on Friday, and we started talking about this funny topic of "over-preparing ourselves" to get ready to do something. She told me about a friend who has been trying to write a book for 15 years. It's this idea of having to feel organized first. Or needing to learn more. Or needing to study more to be an expert on the subject. Finally, she said, “Just write the damn book already!”
It got me thinking about my coaching practice. Recently, I've wanted to go deeper with my clients in their sessions, and I've noticed that they also feel the need to take our work to the next level. But when the opportunity presents itself, I seem to get in my own way or doubt myself for some reason.
About a month ago I had a couple of clients, three to be exact, in one week that were ready to go deeper. One of the three literally said, “I think I need to go deeper here!” so we did. And the outcome was phenomenal and shifting for them. What stopped me in the past was a constant thought in the back of my mind that I should study more or take more coaching classes on specific topics. It really came down to self-doubt keeping me from taking the leap.
After a session with an energy worker that I've been spending some time with, as I'm on my own journey of growing and developing as a human, she shared with me that this feeling of needing to be over-prepared isn’t supporting me. It’s getting in my way. To feel that I need to do all the prep work, all the studying, and all the classes, and then I'll finally be ready. I'm ready now! The wisdom is already here!
So I'm curious about you. Are there things that you find yourself stalling on or procrastinating over? What feels scary to start? What's going on in the background that is stopping you?
“Are you holding back a Mask of Firsts? Is there always something that keeps you from beginning? Take off the mask. Start the project. Ask that special person for a date. Do that 4th and 5th step. Stop making excuses. Eliminate them. Learn to say when it’s time to begin.”