Simply Begin

I've always been a planner.?

Maybe it's because I watched my mom meticulously wrestle her schedule while raising three kids. Maybe it's because growing up, my friends were so laid back that if I didn't put together a plan, nothing got done.?

It could be that my anxiety simply gets the best of me, and I always want to know what's next. Regardless, I like to plan.?

At the beginning of every semester in college, I would take each syllabus and write every available assignment, test, or paper on a giant desk calendar. From there, I'd block off time for each task, scheduling my life hour-by-hour for the upcoming months. It worked great!??

However, I'm beginning to question if my love of planning is truly a superpower.?

What are the drawbacks of prolonging the planning stage??

A few weeks ago, I read Atomic Habits by James Clear. The book introduced a concept I hadn't considered before: there's a difference between being in motion and taking action.?

When you're in motion, you're planning, strategizing, and learning. While being in motion feels productive, it's only when we take action that we see real results.?

When I first read this, it sparked a debate in my mind.?

"Planning still produces results," I told myself. "How can you move forward without a plan? You're setting yourself up for failure!"?

Yet, as I delved deeper into the book, it became clear that excessive planning is really just avoiding the risk of failure that comes with taking action.?

You see, in addition to being an avid planner, I'm also a perfectionist.??

Now, let me pause and clarify that I don't achieve perfection in everything I do. Quite the opposite, actually. I rarely achieve "perfection" or complete things to my standards, and I’ve sometimes wound up with no results.?

When I become too committed to developing the perfect, fool-proof plan, I never get around to taking action. I've come to realize that it all boils down to fear.?

How does fear of failure hold you back??

Fear of failure has hindered me from taking action in countless situations.?

Fear can manifest in different ways, and oftentimes, we are our own harshest critics. The fear of not meeting our own expectations can hold us back.?

For example, when I set out to organize my garage last fall, I spent half the day staring at the shelves trying to decide where everything should go, rather than getting it off the floor. (Confession: my garage still isn't organized.)??

Can perfectionism be a valuable trait? Absolutely, especially in fields like video editing where attention to detail is crucial. Getting things right is never a bad goal.?

However, I now understand that to master a habit, the first step is repetition — not perfection.?

You don't need a perfect plan to get started. You just need to get some reps in.?

Trying and failing is a valuable use of your time. While it may feel uncomfortable or even embarrassing, learning from our mistakes is part of the journey towards finding what works.?

If you go through life hoping that you'll get everything right on the first try, you're not going to get a whole lot done. No amount of YouTube tutorials can replace the hands-on experience of diving into the task at hand.?

We learn by doing, not by planning. Taking action and risking failure is how we grow and develop.?

In other words, you simply need to begin.??