“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” – Zig Ziglar
We all started off knowing absolutely nothing. Every single person you admire today started out with zero knowledge at some point in their lives and careers.
The differences between you and them at the moment are the years of hard work, late nights, reading, learning, stress, failure, success and courage. Some examples of successful people today that started off with almost nothing include; Ralph Lauren – who worked as a sales assistant at Brooks Brothers when he got the idea for his clothing company. Just like every normal human, he wondered if men were interested in branching out into more colourful, bolder ties. In 1967, Lauren launched his business selling ties and grossed $500,000 in sales the first year. The next year, he launched Polo and built his company into a successful global empire; Sam Walton – opened his first store with almost nothing to his name. He purchased a Ben Franklin franchise in the US, using a $25,000 loan from his father-in-law. And Today, Walton’s Walmart Store is the largest retailer in the US; Lorna Rutto – left her bank job to start a waste recycling business in 2010. In the same year, she applied for and won a $6,000 SEED Award which served as start-up capital for her business and today, her business has attracted investments including an equity investment from the Blue Haven Initiative and the Opus Foundation amounting to $495,000.
If you keep waiting until your business plan, brand, products etc. are perfect … you will never get it done. You need to start now.
Here Are 3 Things You Need to Do to Get Started:
1. Start!
“There is only one way to bridge the perceived gap between a person and his or her greatest dreams and that is to begin.” ― Richie Norton
I like planning – I am a very detailed person but ultimately there is a time for you to start.
Stop using perfection as an excuse to procrastinate. Begin with something simple and work your way up. So, start that book, business, or career – I’m not saying don’t plan, but start — too much analysis leads to paralysis. The quickest way to get things done is to start now and improve as you go along.
2. Stay Consistent
“It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently.” ― Anthony Robbins
Time management, self-help, self-improvement, goal accomplishment and dream achievement are all held together by consistency.
Without consistency, nothing you know or want or can-do matters, because nothing gets done. It doesn’t matter how extensive your knowledge or talent is, without consistency you would not be able to achieve your goals.
You can accomplish anything you want in life if you have the right strategies and take the right actions consistently. But you must understand that greatness takes time and can only be achieved with consistent work. Don’t give up – consistently keep at it and you’ll soon see the rewards. I have learnt that life rewards consistency – stay there long enough to be blessed.
3. Prepare for the Mistakes You are Going to Make
“The only people who don’t make any mistakes are those who don’t do anything.” ― Kelvin Wong
If you’ve made a mistake, don’t give up. Start again tomorrow. Failure is vital to our personal growth. Understanding our mistakes is as important as celebrating our wins. When we make mistakes and have to figure out why, we frequently learn more and strive not to make the same mistake again. The fear of making mistakes can inhibit us from getting started.
Be realistic in the goals you set for yourself. Don’t be so afraid of mistakes that you don’t get started at all. Remember, nobody is perfect. You will make mistakes – Learn from them and keep on going.
Once you realize that making mistakes sometimes are inevitable, you’ll give yourself the freedom to experiment more and try new things. But the most important thing to remember is that you have to start, Now!
Remember, You Have Only One Life to Live, MAKE IT COUNT!
