When you’re no one no one has expectations of you.
When you say nothing no one can tell you you’re wrong.
When you stand for nothing no one will try to change your mind.
There is safety in anonymity.
There is safety in silence.
There is safety in indifference.
Most days we create nothing unique.
Most days we avoid standing out.
Most days we aren’t that passionate.
Most days we avoid introspection.
We fight internally to do something that matters but most of the time doing something easy wins over doing something new, unique, hard, risky, fresh or bold. I’m talking to myself by the way. Thanks for listening though.
Am I the only one? Please don’t tell me I’m the only one.
My name is Andy Traub and I help people tell their stories in a way that maximizes their impact. If you'd like to create your own custom channel to reach the world then I can help. Just 
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All your reasons are great but my big reason is time. I have many ideas of things I want to create but finding the time is the challenge. When I do find the time, I feel so giddy that I fail to make much progress. I know, I know… if I really wanted to do them I would make time. However, this is a constant battle for me personally that I haven’t quite taken control of.
@joshstauffer Josh, your problem isn’t time. It’s too many projects. You have the time to complete one at a time, just not 10 at a time. I have the same problem. Pick two and work on them or better yet pick ONE and don’t stop till you’re finished. THAT works. The shotgun method of trying to do all of the projects at once won’t work. Trust me…I do it all the time! Does that make sense?
You’re not the only one @andytraub. I struggle with it on a daily basis. So many years of being told to fit in, be quiet, don’t rock the boat can be hard to reprogram.
@Joe Lalonde Especially when the person telling us that was ourselves.
True words. We can make all the excuses we want, but many times the missing ingredient is a caring community of people that can push us.
@jeffdolan Yeah, I really miss having someone to work with sometimes. OK, almost all the time.
True that and you are soooooooo not alone. It takes someone special to even speak those words. Thanks for posting.
@DeniseWBarreto Did you call me special?! Thanks! Now lets change the world. Wann join me?
You betcha – I’m already changing the world now – one relationship at a time! @andytraub
… someone else is already doing it
… they can say it better
… why would anyone care what I think / say
…
@jasonvandehey I’ve said that, I’ve said that, I say that.Thx bro.
@andytraub Ditto.
I also feel like what I have to say, people don’t really want to hear. I know that I don’t want to hear it myself.
Do we really want to hear that we don’t spend enough time with our children focusing on what really matters? Discipling instead of Nintendo? Sitting and reading instead of driving? Playing lego’s together instead of Facebook?
@andytraub Great advice. I know you are right. I guess I just need to be reminded of this from time to time. Thanks. I need to keep it simple and have a single focus.
How do you like to prioritize your ideas? Quickest projects first or most passionate about first? Given that you equally want to complete all of them.
First, I only work on two at a time. I can’t work on just one or I get dry but more than two and I don’t feel like I make enough progress to feel good about what I”m working on. So now I’m writing a marriage book and developing a podcast series for businesses considering create a podcast to help their brand. One of the keys is to complete a project and ship it while it’s imperfect. The last 10% of the project is the hardest. Does that help?
This definitely helps. I really like what you said about two at a time so I don’t get dry. So simple yet I never thought about it like that. Thanks, Andy.
So what are your two? #accountability
Calling me out, eh? Thanks.
First is going to be a Parked Page/Coming Soon template with configuration options. All packed in one PHP file which can be uploaded to your webserver for quick implementation.
Second is going to be a church directory site for my city. This project serves dual purposes. 1.) I will explore and use new technologies to improve my web development skills. 2.) I hope it will be a valuable (and accurate) resource for my community.
I look forward to crossing these off my list.
#accountable and #appreciative
-Josh
What you wrote is right to my heart.
The motivations, inspiration, passion and sense of achievement are normally my reasons for the feeling of creation.
Too often, I don’t maximize my potential to achieve the greatest creation from day to day for the excuses you pointed out.
Nice to see all these thoughts being put in such a creative way! To me, getting rid of these excuses are far more important than realizing them!
It’s from my heart too Christine I’m grateful our hearts are singing the same song. The question we must ask ourselves is what are we going to do today about these frustrations? Let me know how I can help OK? The first answer answer to our frustrations is to stop acting like we’re alone in our frustrations. We’re not. You’re not. Thanks for commenting.
It’s a very nice of YOU
you’re absolutely right – so many people share the same frustration, I gotta stop acting I’m the only one!ahaaa…
My biggest challenge now is to decide which path I like to go: I kinda have two choices and each one is full of uncertainty and risks. I don’t want to give up either one, haaa, greedy me!But I know I have to choose, otherwise, I can’t be my best in either of them. I’m just about to test one of the two choices I have in the near future, then the decision will become very easy!!! A bit of more time needed!!
Thank YOU for offering me the help and that makes me feel really really happy!!! I’m not alone
Listen to the latest episode at http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/no-more-mondays-show/id417967207 – It’s 10 minutes long. Then let me know what you choose!
Sorry to reply back to u late! I’m actually heading to yoga class now and I’ll definitely check it out and then let you know which one I choose!
Thank you for sending me THIS!
Andy, for some reason, I can not listen to the “No More Mondays Show” series, but I went though the names, looks to me, should be something really interesting and educational.
What exactly the 10 minutes talk about?
It’s about doing something.
It’s at http://www.takepermission.com/permission/nothing-is-most-definitely-something/
Seems really fit into my situation now. choose & then act on it. I’m actually acting on the one I choose right now & like you mentioned, not necessary to be an easy choice, but I believe it’s better than doing nothing. I don’t believe doing nothing is something, it’s basically waste of life. SInce we talk about this “Doing nothing” theme, I have some personal experience about this, actually just happened not long ago, ahhaa… for the past period of four months. People surround me were almost certain about “I’m doing nothing”, as I guess I don’t make any obvious move in their eyes. Someone I don’t know even said indirectly to me “do something!”
Yeah, doing something is always within my agenda, believe it or not. The only reason that I was doing nothing for the past a few months was my health issue. Well, I should stop right here as it’s really sth personal, ahaaa! no detail provided, let’s just say, surprised myself! People happen to see me in the gym might feel “she looks really OK! sorry, I’m not!just you couldn’t really see me inside out”
As I gradually gain my energy and health back on track now, it’s once again my time to DO something.
Just a bit of thought of my own, your short brief on this “Doing something” is really really good, remind and push people at the time that they don’t move forward for whatever reasons/excuses, cause he/she to rethink about the path that’s chosen. I don’t know about others, but this push is good!
Thanks Andy!
Great thoughts my friend. You helped me realize that taking a rest is also doing something and that’s something I need to “do” more often. Wow, thanks for that.
You’re definitely not the only one. Fear is a big part of procrastination. We want to live in the realm of theory, where our art is great and everyone loves it. Fleshing that into reality can be a painful process.
Yeah, theory is a lot less painful but also a lot less joyful. Great thoughts brother. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I’m always humbled that people like you take the time to read and comment. Keep in touch. http://www.takepermission.com/connect/