Ever Hear the Phrase “Easier Said Than Done?”
This is a common response when faced with a challenge to grow. You may have said it yourself. The words are true! It is always easier to talk about something than take purposeful action. Thus, the noise that surrounds us every day! And the millions of people who quietly trudge through day after unhappy day stuck yet unwilling or unable to move out of their well-defined comfort zones to discover new opportunity.
“Easier said than done,” is an excuse to stay stuck. Yet, when you use it to brush aside an opportunity, few will criticize. Indeed, many will nod in agreement. “So true,” they think. But you must realize that you are making an excuse; you are defending—even protecting—your unhappy state. Maybe you justify it by thinking that your current situation isn’t all that bad. Surely, things could be worse.
Indeed they could. They could also be much better. Amazingly better. What would you do then?
Fear of change is hard-wired into our DNA. So is reluctance to alter circumstances, even when they are unsatisfactory. The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t, after all. But what if an angel stands ready to replace that familiar devil?
What if. Two words that stop many in their tracks. If they stop you, too, no worries. You’re just like everyone else. There’s nothing special about you, nothing you might do that hasn’t already been done by someone more talented. Nothing would really matter anyway. Right? Wrong. The truth is that there is no one else like you. Never has been; never will be again. You are entirely unique and your allotted time on the planet is now.
Yes, taking a step forward to change your life for the better is easier to talk about than do. There’s no guarantee that any step you take will immediately prove you are on the right track. True change takes time. It can be intensely uncomfortable. The change that occurs may rearrange the familiar parts of your life. If you’re not willing to follow the path of growth to where it may lead, don’t go. Keep talking about it. You’ll feel excited by the prospects on some days and disappointed in yourself for being timid on others. You can manage that tension.
Maybe you feel deep inside that you have more to offer but you’re not ready yet to explore what that might be. Then wait. Don’t allow some expert or guru to push you into something you are not prepared to tackle. Just be clear about that. Recognize when you are using fear or busyness as an excuse to stay stuck.
When you are ready to move past talk into action, there are many resources to help you. We would love to see you in one of our Backbone Bootcamps. The next one, called “The Confident Leader,” begins May 1 at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education. To check it out and register, go here. http://www4.uwm.edu/sce/course.cfm?id=25263
There is an incredible array of classes, workshops, and teleseminars available. There are also many coaches willing to help you one-on-one. When you are ready to stop saying “That’s easier said than done,” and instead declare, “Today is the day I begin,” start researching help. You’ll experience a delightful jolt of renewed energy and a quiet sense of pride.
Categories: InspirationAbout Susan Marshall
