Momentum ...

So, a funny thing happened last month. I became a writer. How? I wrote something.

Next week my friend Amanda is becoming a surfer! How? She is surfing (at a very cool camp in Costa Rica).

My erstwhile-wife, Karen, recently became a blogger (and a VERY funny one!). By sitting down and blogging.

I receive emails from people all the time telling me what they wish they were doing. Without making light of their respective obstacles, I have the same fundamental advice for all of them. Start doing "it". You won't do "it" well. And you probably won't get paid to do "it". But do "it" anyway. For now, do "it" alongside the other stuff that you have to do, and do "it" joyfully and with gratitude for the opportunity. (For bonus karma, try doing the other stuff with gratitude too - but we will get to that in a future post!)

Maybe "it" is painting. Then paint. Not for others' approval or for remuneration - but because you want to paint. I recently heard from a war paint artisan. I had never heard of such a thing but looked into it and was blown away by his talent and passion. The world is better place because of people stepping out and doing something different.

Maybe "it" is getting in shape. Then exercise - start wherever you are at. I have two friends, each over three hundred pounds, who have been at the gym every day recently. They will both lose 100lbs this year and be in the best shape of their lives. Every rep counts towards that goal, but none as much as the first.

And, if you keep your eyes and heart open, you will probably find that something miraculous happens. You will start building momentum. Don't measure it by what other people say or think, or by what external rewards flow your way. Instead, notice how you feel. Watch for unexpected blessings and inspirations and opportunities that begin appearing out of nowhere (in the sake of full disclosure, they were always there but now you are tuned in to them). And keep on truckin' ... left foot, right foot, repeat...

Case in point - I sat down right now to bang out a quick mea culpa ... "I cannot write a blog post this morning because there are too many topics colliding in my mind. I will sort that shit out today and see you tomorrow" (A good problem to have for someone who spent twenty five years wishing he had something worth saying ... again, all the things that were always there but just beyond where I was willing to look). So I started to type. And here we are.

Of course, Goethe said this much better 200 years ago,

"Then indecision brings its own delays,

And days are lost lamenting over lost days.

Are you in earnest? Seize this very minute;

What you can do, or dream you can do, begin it;

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." 

So, do "it" today - whatever "it" is. At least a bit of "it". And watch "it" expand :)

And if you need a boost to get started, sing along with Dave :)

"You Might Die Trying"

To change the world,
Start with one step.
However small,
The first step is hardest of all.

Once you get your gait,
You'll be walkin' tall.
You said you never did,
Cause you might die trying,
Cause you might die trying.
Cause you---

If you close your eyes,
Cause the house is on fire.
And think you couldn't move,
Until the fire dies.
The things you never did,
Oh, cause you might die trying,
Cause you might die trying.
You'd be as good as dead,
Cause you might die trying,
Cause you might die trying.

If you give, you, you begin to live.
If you give, you begin to live.
You begin, you get the world.
If you give, you begin to give
You get the world, you get the world.
If you give, you begin to live.

You might die trying.
Oh, you might die trying.
Yeah, you might die trying.

The things you never did,
Cause you might die trying;
You'd be as good as dead.
You never did.