What needs doing won’t get done if you don’t do it.
“Well, duh!” you might be saying to yourself, but how often have you said you’d do something and never done it? Or half-assed it and quit? Exercising, learning a new skill, quitting a bad habit, having a hard conversation, doing chores, maintaining personal hygiene, reading more, eating better. The list of “I should haves” and “I’m gonnas” is longer than a CVS receipt. Yet they all have one thing in common: they begin with a first step.
Unfortunately, we let things fester and rot because we don’t build preventive care into our routines. We procrastinate as if our time on earth were infinite. Our hopes and dreams never bloom because we forgot to water them. Next thing we know, we’re gray and weathered, looking back at the squandered years, wondering where the time went and lamenting our lack of urgency. The regret of inaction is a heavy burden. If only we’d applied ourselves. If only we’d known the dishes weren’t going to wash themselves before they turned into a giant pile of rancid shit!
Embracing action is the antidote to whatever ails you. Every time I’ve felt trapped in life, whether in a job, a relationship, an addiction, a depression, or an artistic endeavor, it was because I was stagnant. I wasn’t moving the ball forward. Sure, I thought about everything I wanted to do, say, or quit doing, but nothing changed until I acted on those thoughts. All change and progress stem from that first move toward your goal, which puts you firmly in the driver’s seat of your life.
Don’t run backward to what’s safe and comfortable, like that job you hate or that unfulfilling relationship. Don’t cling to the familiar numbness of a drug or drink that only gaslights you into believing you can’t do better. Don’t get stuck in the glue trap of despair or on the hamster wheel of negative thinking. Make today the day you do something different. Put your ideas into action. Focus on what you want to accomplish and do the fucking thing already! Nobody’s going to do it for you.
Change is difficult. Even when we want to be less miserable, leaving our familiar misery can feel intimidating. Fear of the unknown can be more frightening than staying put in an unsatisfying situation. And sometimes, when we do venture out, we panic and retreat before giving the unfamiliar thing a fair chance. Look back at your life. Think of all the times you were nervous about doing something and wound up loving it, or the time you strayed from your usual path and found a beautiful, unexpected outcome.
Quitting drinking was terrifying. I had drunk my entire adult life. Without it, I didn’t know who I was or who I’d hang out with. But I needed a change. I was sick of the endless loop of hangovers, blackouts, and just feeling shitty. My quality of life suffered, and drinking was robbing me of my potential. Despite my trepidation, I told myself I wouldn’t drink for thirty days. My first step was more of a face-plant, but I’m now approaching six years without a drink. It was undisputedly the best decision I ever made, and it all started with one “fuck it, I’m doing this” moment.
The only way to change is to take action. Don’t wait for “the perfect moment,” because it doesn’t exist. The right time is always now! And if something doesn’t work out as expected, at least you’ll have learned a valuable lesson. Every day, we’re presented with little forks in the road, small decisions that can have massive impacts on our lives. Next time you get an idea you’d like to pursue or try, just do it. Nothing beats the sense of accomplishment that comes from taking action. Have an adventure! Chart new territory. Don’t just be alive. Live!
So what will your “Fuck it” moment be? What’s something you’ve always dreamed of doing but been too afraid to try? Which small daily things do you wish were different but have grown complacent about? Maybe there’s something or someone you finally need to quit. What have you been holding back from saying to a partner, friend, or boss? When you’re depressed, do you reach out to someone, get out and take a walk, or just let it eat you alive? Everything takes effort, and the more energy you put in, the more things change. What stands between you and the life you want is one split second of courage. To try. To act!
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”
“Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.”
“More is lost by indecision than wrong decision.”
–Cicero
