Why do we find it so difficult to get started on the things that are good for us?

It took a significant accumulation of social drinking in the months (yes, months) up to Christmas and New Year to convince me that Dry January was a good idea.

It took a health-conscious wife to persuade me to recommence Paleo nutrition on 14th January, after over a year of lapsing back into far too much beige food.

I’m currently creatively destroying my web site and I seem able to find countless ways to procrastinate before I sit down to write copy for the site, allowing my support team and Dental Focus to get on with the job.

I’ve been messing about with my new membership site for 18 months now and still find it difficult to focus on the digital grunt work that is necessary to create the platform – even though it is likely to be my most significant business development in 20 years.

The Barrow Bunker needs a substantial Spring Clean.

Why, oh why, do we find it so difficult to take that first step?

To stop drinking for a while, even though we know that we’ll sleep better, wake feeling more refreshed and have more energy during the day?

To eat better food (note – not diet, simply eat well), even though we know that our clothes will begin to fit again and our self-esteem will rocket?

To get important projects completed, even though we know it is going to make our work and our profitability more enjoyable?

There seems to be a moment of truth here – called GETTING STARTED.

Solutions?

1. Book a date in the calendar – no matter how far forward – and commit to yourself and those around you that, on that day, you will begin;

2. If possible, agree a completion date – I’m going to stop alcohol for 31 days – I’m going to have that web site copy written in 14 days from now – I’m going to eat well for the next three months;

3. If necessary, allow yourself a cheat day – for my Paleo eating, on Saturdays I eat what I like for 24 hours, after January, I’ll be drinking alcohol on Fridays and Saturdays, I’m not thinking about my web site copy until a week on Monday;

4. Plan a reward – on 31st March, if I’ve kept all my promises and hit my sales targets, I’ll be buying a new laptop.

For all of that – getting started is still a tough call. But it’s never too late to make a start.

What would you like to get started?