I have a friend who wants to run a marathon. SheΓÇÖs read several books on running and subscribes to Runner’s World magazine.
Every year I ask her if she’s ready to run her marathon, and she tells me about a new running or breathing technique she needs to master before she can enter the race.
Every year when she gives me another reason not to run the marathon I tease her about it and tell her, ΓÇ£Just do it — you got to get in it to win it!ΓÇ¥ She laughs and tells me she will, but has to get this technique just perfect.
We all have a marathon in our life that we keep planning to run but havenΓÇÖt started.
I know tons of people who want to diet but are waiting until after the holiday. Just do it! There are people who want to ask for a raise but they want to wait until the economy gets better. Just do it! I have a friend who wants to run for public office but is waiting until he has more experience. Just do it — running for office IS the experience.
People want things to be perfect before they start a new challenge. They want all the information before they start a new project, or want a certain type of training before they can take on that challenge.
It’s important to prepare yourself for a new odyssey in life, but not to the point where you use that preparation to avoid actually taking on the challenge. And here’s a secret: things will never get to a perfect point to start. At some point you have to “just do it.”
There will always be a new breathing technique and another holiday coming and one more thing to learn. So go ahead and just do it. You cannot win it unless you are in it!
photo credit: Filomena Scalise, FDP.net