Why Do We Wait?
The Caroline Doll, CEO of POSH PR®, on New Year's Resolutions and The 5 Second Rule!
I have a love-hate relationship with New Year’s Resolutions. I love the idea of having goals. I always love a good list. But the thing I don’t like? The WAIT. A New Year’s Resolution asks you to wait. Why? What’s the value in waiting?
I think what can be most discouraging about a New Year’s Resolution is the feeling you get when you don’t accomplish something by that certain time. It has the tendency to set you up for a failure mentality. So many of us say, “By January 31st, I’m going to lose ‘X’ amount of pounds, or start my blog, or finish that book!” On a Forbes article I recently read, only 8% of resolutionists achieve their goals. January 31st roles around and the scale hasn’t moved, that amazing blog is still in your head, and that book is still sitting unread by your bedside table! You look at this and think, “Gosh, I didn’t do those things I said I was going to do, AGAIN!” The negative thoughts start to build, and then you walk away from what you’ve deemed “a failure.”
I watched a motivational speech by Mel Robbins the other day and learned about “The 5 Second Rule.” She said, “If you don’t marry an impulse with an action within five seconds, you’ll pull the energy break and kill the idea.” She gave an example of waking up in the morning. The first 5 seconds of waking up in the morning is probably the biggest struggle of the day! Making the decision to get up right away is literally a conversation I have to have with myself every morning! The first five seconds are hard, but once you’re up and at’em, things are great! Your mentality completely changes gears and you’re ON TOP of the day! Accomplishing that one small thing in that instant sets you up for success!
Why do we feel we need a start date? Are you waiting until you’re ready? What does ready look like? Does “being ready” mean “being comfortable”? What comes out of being comfortable? Being comfortable is really just a feeling, a feeling of security. As Mel Robbins said, "...if we all listened to how we feel when it comes to what we want, you’ll never get it!" Feelings are fleeting. As soon as you feel comfortable, I promise something else will come up and pop that comfort bubble!
Growth only happens when you’re uncomfortable, when you’re not ready. Why? Because discomfort forces you to adapt and to act. (Being comfortable asks you to slip on those slippers and turn on Netflix. There’s nothing wrong with that if you want to relax, but that’s the kind of passive productivity “comfort” sets you up for!)
Don’t wait until you’re ready to start that business of yours, dolls! Be a little impulsive and listen to that 5 Second Rule! Equip yourself now! Start now and sign up for “The PR Behind the Pretty” workshop in January! Sign up here!
