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Breaking an old habit… Starting a new business… It’s not easy, even if we are sure that in the near future we will become much better. How can you make the first step easier? Entrepreneur and blogger James Clear shares his experience.
Change is always hard. And it’s even harder when it’s a big change — breaking up with a loved one, getting fired from a job, starting your own business, and other situations where you have to make difficult choices. But even if it is clear that change will be beneficial, it can be difficult to implement, and here’s why.
- We are experiencing. How do we know if we made the right decision?
- We would like to know more. How can you make a decision without having all the information?
- We feel like we’re stuck. How to overcome fear and move on, doing what you want?
Of course, I don’t have all the answers. But there are seven tips that will help you decide to change.
1. Accept the lack of complete information
We often avoid making decisions just because we want to know more before we take the next step. Yes, of course, you need to study all the details … But you will have to wait a very long time, expecting a crystal clear answer. Life is a series of questions, mistakes and corrections. Make the best decision you can at this particular moment and keep moving forward.
2. Start trusting yourself
We find different excuses to avoid change, but the main limitation is distrust in ourselves. We are afraid that when we find ourselves in a new situation, we will not know what to do or how to react. We are concerned that it will be difficult to cope in the uncharted territory of the future.
Believe in yourself. Have you dealt with surprises before? For example, when a tire burst on the way to work, how did it end? Or when you suddenly fell? After all, you’re fine now. Find the courage to trust yourself. No matter what happens, you will figure out what to do with it.
3. Imagine the worst possible outcome
Like jealousy, most fears live only in the head. When you imagine the worst case scenario, you will realize that there are very few risks that you cannot recover from.
You don’t have to change the world right now, you just need to make changes in your own world.
Ask yourself, «What’s the worst thing that can happen?» Realizing that even the worst is not so bad, you will be ready to overcome it.
4. Value the process as much as the result
We are so obsessed with the results that we worry that suddenly, heading towards a big goal, we will not reach the finish line. In fact, we have every right to change our minds. Even more: if you have not reached the goal, this does not mean that you have lost. You yourself set this goal, it was your choice. You have the right to change it halfway. Failure is not the destination, neither is success. Enjoy the process of moving forward.
5. Keep looking for opportunities
If you are on the verge of making a decision, you may be afraid of being in a situation from which there will be no way out. Think about it differently. New alternatives rarely limit, quite the contrary. One of the most enjoyable moments: when you pursue a goal every day, new opportunities open up before you that you could not even think of before. If you don’t miss them along the way, you can be sure that you will always have a choice.
6. Make an effort — it’s important
It seems elementary, but one of the main reasons why change doesn’t happen is that we simply don’t even try. It’s so easy to come up with excuses why we don’t get what we want. Failed the test? What are you, stupid? “Of course I’m not stupid. I just didn’t study. I would definitely get an “excellent” if I learned.” Stuck in a job you hate? So why haven’t you found a new one yet? “Well, I haven’t actually tried to find a new job yet. If I only wanted to, I could easily pass the interview.”
Why do we make excuses? We fear that failure will make us failures. But if we do not try, we can write off everything for laziness. Get over it. Failure happens to everyone. If you take the risk—and most people don’t even try—you win far more than you thought.
7. Start with something doable
You will not be able to climb Everest if you do not start training in advance. Perhaps finding a dream job is intimidating. Where to start today? For example, talking to someone who already works in such a position. Find out what makes it successful. Can you improve your skills to meet the required requirements? You don’t have to change the world right now, you just need to make changes in your own world.
About the Author: James Clear is an entrepreneur, weightlifter, travel photographer, blogger, and writer. He is engaged in behavioral psychology, studies the habits of successful people — businessmen, artists, athletes — in order to understand what helps them to be effective.