Just Do It!

Imagine this situation. You’re at work and you know that you need to make some contacts to market your business, but you don’t really want to. The phone seems to weigh 500 pounds and it’s probably not the best time to call and you’re not really organized and… the other 5000 excuses to not do what you really need to do. Can you relate?

So you end up checking your e-mail or going through your paperwork or doing ANYTHING so you don’t have to pick up that phone. Have you ever done this? I call it pretending to work. They are things that need to be done, but they’re not a priority. You’re only doing them so you can avoid something more important and still feel like you’re doing something.

If you have ever been in this situation, don’t feel bad because you’re not alone. It happens to everyone. (Personally, I catch myself doing it all the time, but I’m getting better.?) What is it that is holding us back? I think that we’re afraid. Maybe we’re afraid of failure or success or one of a thousand different things.

I think the fear comes from not knowing the outcome of the activity. Why we’re afraid doesn’t really matter. What does matter is learning how to fix it. Like I said, I’ve been down this road and I know the path out.

First, stop thinking about it and do it. Make it an appointment on your calendar just like going to the dentist. When you have a dentist appointment, do you agonize about whether or not to go? Of course not. You just go. This is the same thing. Don’t think, just do. The more you think about it, the more reasons you come up with for not doing what you already don’t want to do. I know, I can talk myself out of anything. By the way, it also works the other way. I can talk myself into anything too. Just remember that the more you think about it, the bigger it gets. Just like going to the dentist, if you avoid it, the problem usually gets worse.

Second, you have to understand that you will feel better after you get it done. Whenever, you avoid doing something, it’s like a weight around your neck. It hangs there dragging you down. On the other hand, once you do it, the weight is lifted and the results are usually better than what you feared. Again, I’m speaking from experience.

Let’s go back to the dentist example. Have you ever avoided going because you were afraid of what they might say? Maybe it’s time for a cleaning. It’s not your favorite thing to do, but if you don’t go, the cleaning might turn into a cavity or, even worse, a root canal. Yikes! You don’t want that! So you know, I just had a root canal and I can tell you from personal experience that it is way worse than a cleaning. I did feel better after it was done though. Not only my teeth, but that I did the right thing. You always do, I promise.

Finally, focus on getting the activity done, not the result of the activity. If you are regularly marketing your business, your results will come and your business will grow. Reward yourself just for doing what you KNOW you need to do and good things will happen. I promise!