What is the secret of getting ahead?
I’ve had an old Instagram account and a WordPress site and never really used them or updated them regularly. I did the initial “technical” set up. And of course I did the occasional post, maybe a blog or photo now and then. But not consistently by any stretch of the imagination. And not really telling much of a story or anything personal or of particular interest. I’ve avoided getting started making my blogs and posts and keeping up with them on any sort of regular schedule or theme.
My main excuse has been because it is such a daunting task–or seems like one to those of us that overthink.
There’s content to create, photos to take and edit, and sharing stories. All of that can be more than just a bit scary to those of us that wonder “who really cares?” Also, being a perfectionist (I like to think “in recovery”) makes it especially challenging. Anyone who can relate to that knows what I mean about how weird it feels to put one’s self out there.
What is the secret of getting ahead?
But I decided I want to do this. I do have stories to tell and insights to share. Somewhere out there are others who are feeling the same way. Even just inspiring one person to take a step forward makes this effort worthwhile. And I concluded that the best thing to do was to just get started and DO it. So, I decided to take a baby step and move forward with a little at a time. I decided not to worry about everything being perfect and if anyone even cares.
Overcoming the weights that hold us back from getting ahead isn’t easy. It takes motivation, a focus and at least some ability. But possibly more importantly, it takes meaningful action. And coincidentally, I ran across this inspiring quote attributed to Mark Twain. It seemed to fit exactly what I needed to hear: a powerful affirmation that NOW is indeed the right, if not perfect, time to just jump in and DO.
“The secret to getting ahead is getting started” – Mark Twain