You’re Not Late
Now is the perfect time to start realizing your dream.
How many times have we wanted to do something that was going to change our lives or we had an idea that will completely disrupt our lives (for the good) but then our least favorite friend, if, makes his way into our thoughts “if only, I had this” or “if only I had…”, “if only I had more money” or “if only this was different”
And we believe him so much that he becomes a permanent fixture in our minds when we want to do something. Then we find ourselves thinking about all the things we do not have instead of what we do and by doing so we miss the greatest opportunities.
“It’s crazy how much that you can see with your eyes closed
‘Specially if you’ve got a vision
Or how you could have everything
And still think about everything missing
Like I probably remember the times I missed out on
More than the ones I lived” — Big Sean on All figured out
John Wooden said “Don’t let what you cannot do keep you from doing what you can do” and I for one, have been the victim of that too many times, countless times did I want to do something and thought, “if only I had started earlier” or “If only I had the articulation and command over language like…”. And in due time we wait and wait, procrastinate and finally give up.
You see, our biggest mistake is that we wait for circumstances to be perfect and truth be told — it will never be, you have to start now, where you are with what you have.
“The greatest amount of wasted time is the time not getting started.” — Dawson Trotman
Before I started writing I had a great interest in video-editing. At the time I thought the biggest obstacle to me editing videos was the old laptop I had, so I decided to save up and buy a new one, with all the specs aka all the bells and whistles.
After getting the laptop, I never edited a single video, zero, nada zilch and now that same laptop is used for writing posts (like the one you’re reading) and video games.
I waited too long and did not start with what I had, I could’ve gotten an entry-level editing software, but no, I wanted professional software and look where that has gotten me (Nowhere…in case anyone was wondering). The blog has taken off only because I didn’t care that my previous laptop had to be plugged-in for me to work and that I had to maneuver it in a certain way.
The only thing that mattered was that I had ideas that I wanted to share with the world and didn’t care what obstacles was in my way, I was going to write my posts. On an old computer if I had to or even if I had to pay a friend to use theirs. And that is the major lesson I've learned, start now and you’re never late
“You can’t plan for everything or you’ll never get started in the first place.”
― Jim Butcher, Changes
Start with what you have and not what you don’t, Steve Jobs famously said “Great artists ship faster” and the only thing you need to be worried about is getting your ideas out into the world. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
Kanye West, with the Life of Pablo album, made 12–13 changes after it had been released. That is how we should look at things when we think that is too late start or too late to change something.
There are countless people who probably have had the idea for a social media network, Über, Amazon etc. but the only reason Zuckerberg or Bezos won was because they were willing to act on the idea and get their product out and then afterwards tweak it or fix the the bugs. The underlying factor is that they took action, saw what was working and what didn’t and adjusted accordingly.
“If you wait for perfect conditions you’ll never get anything done”
(Eccl. 4:11)(TLB)
No one has ever made a success of anything by waiting until the conditions are just right, we make the mistake of looking for things far ahead that are actually close by. If you waste your time in doubts and fears, then you’ll be paralyzed for the rest of your life and in a few years’ time someone will execute on that idea and you’ll hate yourself for not doing anything about it.
Take action now, because if you keep debating on what if? You will never reach a verdict on, the only way you will know is, if you take action and do what you can. If you want to start a blog, apply for your PhD or do something unrelated to your degree e.g. You have a law degree, but you want to study Philosophy or be a speaker. Do it! You’re not late and if it scares the sh*t out of you, that’s how you that you’re going in the right direction.
Hi! I’m Danley, Thanks for reading. If you want to add something or just share the amazing project you’re tackling after reading this, please do so in the comments section, I love hearing from you plus i’m secretly (and publicly, if you want me to) cheering you on.
P.S: I’m working on a podcast, i’m pretty sure it is scaring the living piss out of me, but i’m excited to see where it goes, i’ll keep you posted 😉
