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March 5, 2005

Just Do It!

It's a dark Saturday morning, and I'm up early to get ready for a conference. In my morning email, I read today's quote and it reminded of the power of doing things now, figuring things out as you go along.

Do not wait; the time will never be 'just right'. Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along. — Napoleon Hill

This week I came to the realization being complete expert is not the requirement for doing things — rather it's by accepting and admitting my limitations that I'm able to make a step toward becoming an 'expert' in what I do.

There is something freeing about admitting to yourself and others "hey, here's where I am, I'm not perfect, but I want to learn and grow." I'm coming to see that this honesty with self and others takes the stumbling block of needing to "be an expert" out of my path, letting me become more of an expert.

Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace and power in it. — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

If you wait around for permission to "know" something before starting, you might never begin. Give yourself permission to start something you have no idea about, and the permission to become an expert in that thing, if you like.

Just do it!

March 5, 2005 7:02 AM | Observations | add to del.icio.us

Comments

Mike,

this is the description of the "perfect" consultant, someone that knowing his limitations, non been an expert could walk the path and in every step became an expert.
Good luck with your conference.

Posted by: Roberto Cruz at March 5, 2005 6:04 PM

thanks for the kind thoughts! I think it's the recipie for healthy growth, to be honest about where you are in order to move ahead.

Conference was excellent (for church youth leaders). I was challenged and encouraged about my place in ministry in our church and in my own spiritual life. Oddly enough it tied in with my post this morning. :-)

Posted by: Mike Rohde at March 5, 2005 9:48 PM

Anyone else find it odd that a guy named Napoleon came up with the former? Is that his given name? I don't fault the original Napoleon for breaking through the barriers of status and stature. But I think a lot of people- certainly his own troops- would have been glad if he had been more of an expert on things like Russian winters, or logistics. As long as we're making "path" metaphors here...

Posted by: rcarlos at March 7, 2005 2:30 PM