At the end of my first (last) blog entry I wrote “In my next blog entry…”. This was a device used to assist both of us. It gave me a place to go, and something to write about so I could maintain momentum. In fact, it resulted in me writing this second blog entry immediately.

At the same time, you also have a place to go as a reader, and perhaps something to look forward to. It was a minor cliff hanger. I give you an idea of what I’ll discuss, but don’t deliver the goods right away. It’s like a preview of coming attractions at the movies. Writers and filmmakers use this kind of thing all the time. An author will deliberately end a chapter with heightened tensions unresolved. A TV show will go to commercial at the precise point that you want to know what happens next.

So what can you do to ensure you WANT TO pick up where you leave off?

When it comes to writing these blogposts, it would have been much more difficult for me to write blog entry #2 if I had to start from scratch without any idea what to write about. As it was, the second just flowed out of the first.

          If starting is challenging, then we should look for ways to make it easier. Giving yourself a next step, but not necessarily taking it yet, helps you pick up where you left off and keep going. 

          So what minor action step could you take that would make starting work on your dream much easier? What can you do right now, after you finish reading this blog entry, that would get you from inaction to action? And after you have taken that step, before you move on to other things, determine what your next step will be.

          And please note that in my next blog entry I will talk a little about one of my very favourite subjects: the power of asking great questions.

           It is difficult to start something new. It is, and it isn’t.

        It certainly seems difficult when you are at the stage of merely thinking about starting. At that stage we haven’t actually done anything but think about it, and sometimes this stage can last a lifetime.

        There are many reasons why we don’t start something, but here are two of the most common. We are overwhelmed by the scale of the project and don’t know where to start, and/or we think we need to figure out how to avoid mistakes first.

        I have found that breaking down a task into very tiny segments (even ridiculously small segments) helps dissolve the overwhelm issue. For example, I have decided I want to create a content-rich website. I want to have a blog, videos, podcasts, and so on. Where do I start? OMG! Oh, one blog entry . This one.

        If you are stuck because of a need to avoid mistakes, I would encourage you to rethink the value of mistakes, in general. Mistakes are learning opportunities and those lead to performance improvements and innovation. And all that can eventually lead to mastery.

        I love the idea of mastery, and having a complete command over a skill or ability. It necessitates playing a long-term game. It involves being dedicated to the intricacies of the craft.

        Now imagine being a master of starting. Mastery gained from repeated practice over years. Where breaking down large projects into tiny, manageable steps has become automatic. Where mistakes are not only welcomed but sought out! You might even ask how you can fail faster, so you can learn faster.

        So many more possibilities arise when you just start. You have something real to build upon. And so it will be, in my next blog entry, that we’ll look at what else can help you get on the road, or back on the road, to your dream.