Are you getting ready to get ready?
I’m sure that several of you have heard this expression before. Today was the first time that I used it myself. As soon as the words departed my lips I knew that I needed to take my own advice.
I was speaking to a prospective student over the phone. The woman on the phone, was one that I’d spoken with several times in the last year. Every few months she calls the school, asks when classes will be starting. Sometimes she even makes an appointment to come in and complete some part of the enrollment process. Most times though, she would call back a day or two later with some excuse. “Too busy. I need to look for a part time job. I need to wait until the kids are on vacation. I need to wait until the kids are back in school.” So, this time when I saw her name come up on the caller id on my desk I answered, “Hi, Jane Doe, are still getting ready to get ready?”
We all have something that we keep putting off. Something that could really change our lives if only we could get started. When I started to look at my list of “dreams deferred,” writing was on the top of that list. I have been researching blogs. Reading other people’s blogs downloading ebooks on how to write them, but kept putting it off. I even told myself that I needed to wait until I reviewed some grammar books and I bought a few of those too. But then, the lights came on. I was using the excuses to cover up my fear. I was getting ready to get ready and in the mean time not a single thing was getting done.
STOP GETTING READY TO GET READY!
While you were reading this, your list of excuses probably started to go through your mind. You probably thought of at least 5 things that you’ve been putting off because of fear. The vacation you’ve never taken. That dance class you thought about. The classes you were going to start. The novel you said you’d write. Write them all down. Find the one thing on that list that really scares you. The one with the most “legitimate,” excuses and do that one first.
I did. I finally stopped getting ready to get ready and I started writing this blog.
