"I'll start when everything is settled".
"When I have the time to completely dedicate myself to it - that's when I will start".
Guess what? "Everything" will never be settled and you won't be able to completely dedicate yourself to anything in your adult life.
If you have found yourself making these remarks you are not alone. This is a mindset many have when thinking about goals which seem out of reach or unrealistic...like starting a business or focusing on improving your health.
Another term for them is "excuses".
Starting From The Bottom
Excuses give us the ability to justify anything that we WANT to do. This is not a good thing.
More often than not what we want to do and what we should be doing in order to live a more fulfilling life can be two very different things.
As humans we have evolved with the instinct of taking the "path of least resistance" in order to get our pleasurable dopamine hits. When faced with a task that we know is going to be long and arduous the temptation of quitting early in favour of short term pleasure is overwhelming for the vast majority.
Social media companies know this and do everything they can to make sure you are checking the likes on a recent post.
Taking Ownership
Having explained that we are hardwired to seek out short term pleasure that doesn't mean you have to go cold turkey and quit it forever. You just need to manage it and remain focussed on what you want.
Understanding how things work and what they are orientated to do is the key to being able to control it. Once you can control it is when you can start to use it for yourself.
When starting something that is out of your comfort zone one of the biggest concerns you might have is not wanting to look stupid. Again this is our old friend the "path of least resistance" which keeps cropping up to upset our plans. Don't let it.
No one wants to put themselves in a position of ridicule but the sooner you realise that once the few seconds of laughing is over - no one cares.
One of the huge advantages of being a "newbie" is the incredible freedom you have to fail and start again. Don't put a straight jacket on your freedom and ability to grow as quick as possible - learn from each step and develop.
Do this and do it well and those that mocked you initially will be asking how you made such amazing progress.
Learn From the Best
Down at 1 Hacker Way at Facebook's HQ, the company have tried to keep the atmosphere and creativity of the "startup" culture that they were so famous for.
Aside from the CEO wearing the sandals all day long and having free beer on demand, thier ethos is summed up in their unofficial mantra - "Move Fast and Break Things" which is posted all around the offices.
Why would the CEO of a multi billion company want his employees to be breaking things I hear you ask?
"Unless you are breaking things you are not moving fast enough", explains the Harvard dropout.
Once you accept that things will go wrong and see that as a positive sign of progression , your personal development and your business will start making the strides you know it can.
What Are You Waiting For?
Reading an article on the internet about business motivation (like this one) isn't going to change your life, no matter how good it is (also like this one).
Motivation is built on a number of things that can spark us into life. It can come from jealousy, desire, envy, compassion all of which can only affect you in the short term. If you see your neighbour with a nice car, someone from your high school going on expensive holiday's - we all get a little jealous even if we don't want to admit to it. It can motivate us in the short term to push on with that business idea you have always thought about but it won't be of any use in a couple of weeks when it is all forgotten about and you are facing your first serious hurdle in your business.
True motivation comes from a vision of where you want to be and taking daily steps to achieving that goal.
Even if the steps are small - do them everyday and over time you will have built something to be proud of.
But don't put it off because its not the right time...