I sat on the edge of the wooden ledge contemplating whether I should jump or not. My forehead was sweating, and it wasn’t even hot outside. About a dozen people cheered me on below telling me to “just do it!”
Last summer I went ziplining for the first time. I was all strapped up and ready to go, but once I looked down, (which is probably why you shouldn’t look down) something happened.
I hesitated.
I honestly stood up there for a solid 20 minutes before I finally jumped. Only to realize that it was the most exhilarating feeling I would feel all summer. So what changed during the 20 minutes that it took me to make the jump?
Nothing, but the time.
I was waiting for the perfect moment to leap. As each minute passed by I was hoping I would be more ready. Maybe my nerves would settle, and I would feel more peaceful about jumping. Maybe I would conjure up enough courage to finally do it. I even asked the zipline guy to give me some motivation so I could want to jump. Nope. Nothing.
After realizing I had no other choice or way down, I finally closed my eyes to jump. It was life-changing. Not because it eradicated my fear of heights, but because I learned a priceless lesson: I will never feel 100% ready to do anything worthwhile.
There is no perfect moment. The only moment you have is now.
As we get ready to move into a brand new year I think it’s important to stress the importance of acting now. So many people want to improve the quality of their life, yet they are waiting for the right time to do it. They are waiting to start on Monday, or at the start of a new month. Some people have great business ideas, but instead of taking action, they hesitate.
As a former chronic over-thinker, I know what it feels like to miss opportunities because of hesitation. It’s not fun to look around seeing people act on their dreams while you remain stuck thinking about yours.
People hesitate for different reasons, but it only leads to one thing: stagnation. Here are 3 reasons you are hesitating when you should be acting:
1.You care what people think about you. Listen up, one of the most damaging questions you will ever ask is, “what will they think of me?” Honestly, who cares. They will not have to live with your decision to live a mediocre life. The moment you release the fear of what people think, you become free.
It’s natural to think about others’ perception of you because we all want to be accepted. Just know that if people are your main concern, you will limit yourself forever. And if I were being completely honest with you, people are not paying that much attention to you. We tend to think people are judging us when, in fact, they’re focused on their own problems.
2.You think it’s a big risk. What’s the worst that can happen if you take the steps to do what you want to do? Seriously, ask yourself that question and you’ll realize it’s not that bad. Our brains tend to magnify risk. Our brain’s job is to keep us safe and comfortable, so it blows things out of proportion.
Sometimes the worst thing that could happen is you hear the word “no.” Sure, it might bruise your ego for a few hours, but in the grand scheme of things, that’s not a large risk at all.
3.You’re waiting for the perfect moment. I touched on this earlier, but I have to tell you again. There is no perfect moment! There will always be a feeling of resistance against your next move. Success doesn’t just happen. It takes deliberate action, and you will never feel 100% ready.
I’ve been playing basketball for nearly my whole life, and I rarely go into a game without feeling nervous. Does that mean I tell the coach I can’t play? No, that sounds ridiculous. I go into every game, nervous or not, expecting to win.
Take the same advice. Stop hesitating. Do it now. Expect to win. Yes, disappointment comes, which is a part of life. Fear tries to creep in it’s normal. But don’t let hesitation be the reason you are in the same place this time next year. Do it now.