Do you have a dream or project you keep putting on hold? Something you keep promising yourself for ‘later’?

What are you waiting for?

Are you waiting for the right time?

So often we tell ourselves that, but what do we actually mean by it? When exactly is time ‘right’? When you’re less busy? When you have less ‘to do’? When you’ve finished everything else? When is that exactly? The running joke amongst my friends whose kids have just started school or nursery is “I’ve been waiting for this time when I’m going to have so much time, but now I’m here, I’m still waiting!”

Are you waiting for the right opportunity?

For your dream job, perfect project or ideal client to come barging through the door and beg you to work with them? While you’re waiting, what opportunities are you overlooking? What’s already at your doorstep? And what’s the view like outside of that door? What might you notice just around the corner? How many more opportunities might you spot if you took even one step out of the door?

Are you waiting for you to be ‘right’?

When you have more money in the bank, less numbers in your dress size, more letters after your name? When you’ve thought about it some more, pulled yourself together and given yourself a good talking to (except actually you end up talking yourself out of it!)? When you feel more confident, or when you feel ‘ready’? How’s that working for you? How does waiting help you to do that?

Actually, are you waiting for someone else to do something, or for you to do something?

Have you had enough of waiting yet? Here’s what I suggest:

1. Stop disqualifying yourself

Sometimes opportunities arrive, or we find them, or we create them – and rather than seize them, we start to list all the reasons why it’s not really an opportunity: “It’s not really for me, I’m not the right person, in fact I can think of a couple of people who would be much better suited for the job…”

Instead, list all the things you are, rather than what you’re not. Look at what you can do. Ask yourself “How could I do this?” and see where that takes you.

2. Create an easy first step and take it

Here’s a hint. The first step is the thing that gets you started, not the thing that gets in the way. If something’s in the way, your first step might be to clear it. If something’s too big or far out of reach, then take a baby step towards it. One of Mark Forster’s time management strategies is to “just get the file out” – rather than think of this massive task he’s got to do, he essentially tricks himself into starting by saying “I’m just going to get the file out” then finds himself inevitably getting on with the work.

Do something. Get started. Make it easy for yourself.

3. Put something in place that helps you

Instead of letting things like time management, motivation or confidence issues stop you, put something in place that helps you. It might be rallying a small group of dedicated friends to cheer you on. It might be joining a group of like-minded people for peer support and masterminding, or it might be working with a coach having that one person in your corner, keeping you on track, focused, accountable and equipped to deal with any challenges that get in the way.

So, what have you been waiting for? Drop me a line in the comments box below, and tell me what you’re going to do about it. 🙂