I was once the Queen of Gettin’ Ready to Get Ready. Several years ago, I participated in a pilot of a Creative Problem Solving Style assessment that looked at individual preferences/strengths across the problem solving process from identifying problems to getting acceptance for solutions. My strengths were in the early stages of the process: identifying problems, locating resources and generating solutions. All of the little details of the follow through interested me far less. Part of this is my tendency toward divergent thinking and a desire for novelty. However, over the years, I came to realize that there were some other issues at play here that I needed to consider if I wanted to be successful at acting on ideas and bringing possibilities to fruition.
Unique travelers can be stunted by a whole lot of getting’ ready to get ready, and here are some possible causes:
- Perfectionism: Whatever I do has to be perfect, so I can’t get started until I have considered every possible scenario and know everything I need to know.
- Impostor Syndrome: Intelligence is equivalent to ease and speed. If I can’t do something the first time without any difficulty—if there’s any struggle at all—I must not be smart. I avoid taking risks because I don’t want anyone (including myself) to finally see how unextraordinary I really am.
- Fear of Getting Trapped: If I commit to this, I’ll be leaving behind all of my other interests. There are too many things I want to do to focus on just one.
Sound familiar?
Consider this:
- Perfection is an unobtainable goal. Focus on excellence instead. Beginning is often the most difficult part of the process.
- Most successful people have failed more often than they’ve succeeded. Success comes from hard work and problem solving, not magically endowed ability.
- You can always change your mind. Life and work do not have to exist in a linear step-by-step approach. There are many different configurations that work and hobbies can take. However, we’re often fed a formula from a very young age that limits our vision of possibility.
So, are you ready to move beyond getting ready? Keep in mind that, knowledge does not create change. Action creates change!
What is it that’s keeping you from taking that first step?
I do need to keep that in mind....knowledge (and complaining and whining and feeling exasperated and ...) don't create change. I need to do something. Figuring out what baby step to take to get started and in what direction is where I need to put my thought and energy.
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