Do you recognize this? You need to do something, but it doesn’t happen, you start thinking about it and it becomes more and more complicated. Which means you are even less motivated to do it. So you will think even more about it, so it becomes increasingly complicated…..
The bottom line is that your train of thoughts about complicated things will cripple you.
What can you do? Three tips.
- Think about the first step you CAN make. Do you need to gather items together to start? Just do it! Collect what you need and then think of your next step. Reading? Start reading! Making a phone call? Make the call! Writing? Start writing! Do you need to discuss something to gain clarity? Arrange a meeting! Don’t try to tackle the whole process. You know where you want to end – more or less – and that is enough. Don’t try to know all the steps on the way, there is no point. Just think about the next step to take. And then actually do that. The following step will become apparent.
- Don’t try to create clarity in your head. You head is trained to think, to find complications and to see trouble coming up. Sometimes very handy, but not always. Just start. Start with doing what you do know. There is so much you do know. Focus on that. Clarity will become apparent if you continue taking steps.
- Don’t take your thoughts so seriously. Everything you think about is a process in your head. Take a random situation. You are looking at an empty cup. What are you thinking? You could think: ‘I am thirsty.’ Or ‘Why did Willem not tidy this cup away?’ or ‘Whose cup is this?’ Or ‘Nice cup.’ You could imagine a 1000 other thoughts. And if you would ask somebody else to explain what he/she is thinking you could easy add another 100 options. All these thoughts, all these options, are true or not true. The funny thing is that we will immediately take every thought that pops up in our mind seriously. Why should you follow that specific thought? Many more thoughts are possible, but you didn’t think about them yet. Don’t take the thoughts about how complicated things are so serious. You didn’t come across the thought yet that things can be very simple! Just start. That will change your mind.
Simple!!
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