“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
How can this be relevant or relatable to you? Well we all have goals or dreams that we would love to achieve and for some reason you are holding yourself back thinking of all the
How is this relevant or relatable? Well, we all have goals or dreams that we would love to achieve and seem to have put road blocks in place to justify why it cannot be done. It seems insurmountable. Doubts set in and they start to accumulate.
The thing that is holding you back right now is the negative thinking and lack of direction.
So how can this quote help in this situation?
Having goals or dreams is important to everyone in life. They do not have to be major. They are the goals you have that are important to you. None are too small or insignificant. The goal is something that you have been pondering over for a while so it is relevant. Thinking about the quote and what it means may be the change in your mindset that you have been looking for.
Start where you are
Keeping the goal in mind it is time to break things down. Begin right now where you are with the circumstances and skills you currently possess. It does not have to be perfect just actual. It removes the negative thinking and the constant excuses piling up why you are not ready or it is not possible.
Change the mindset of later to right now.
Use what you have
Thinking about what skills, tools, resources you have right now with the time you have to focus in it make a list of them all.
This encourages creativity and builds up momentum to get things rolling. As you contemplate all what you currently have other things may pop into your mind. Things are added to your list. Now you have more that you thought to start.
Do what you can
It is all about making the first baby step towards your goal. The smallest actionable step possible with all that you have right now.
This turns motivation into concrete and actionable steps. Keeping them small makes it all more manageable.
How could this look
- If the goal is to learn a new language
Beginning where you are right now using the vocabulary you already now you can build up on it. There are many options out there to help you learn a new language from books, podcasts and apps. Some of them are free. Learning a language is an ongoing activity. By allocating 10 minutes a day to practice speaking it or listening to it. Reading or watching videos.
- Getting fit or healthy
So many of us have the goal to get fit or live a healthier lifestyle. It may seem to be so unreachable at first. Where to start? Right now . Realise how fit or unfit you are right now and assess the situation. There is no point in running a marathon if you cannot even walk for 30 minutes.
Start with what you have. Comfortable shoes, the local park or area to walk. Music to dance to. Whatever you have and would enjoy to use. Starting small is vital so committing yourself to walk for 15 minutes everyday or doing 10 minutes of exercises at home. Dancing to 2 of your favourite songs a day.
- Drinking more water every day
You have acknowledged you do not drink enough. Water is easy to get and keep in a bottle ready to drink. Have the bottle with you at all time so it is ready to take a swig. Keep yourself accountable to taking a mouthful every hour or to drink at certain times.
- A garden project
Keeping that goal in mind make a list of what you have right now to get that done. Can you do it yourself and what needs to be purchased to complete it. Start with what you have. Shovels and other tools. Removing the weeds and digging out the area getting it ready for when you have the plants or items you want to update your garden with. It may not be finished in one day but it is on its way to being completed.
This could apply to so many aspects of life from the personal side to the professional.
Begin right now
The time to start is right now with what you have. It does not need to be perfect. There just needs to be action. Small baby steps taken using what you have right now to keep the momentum going while you are working towards your goal. The small steps lead to motivation to keep going. By giving yourself a short term deadline it keeps it manageable. Doing as much as you can today or by tomorrow evening makes it seem smaller and achievable.
The goal will probably not be reached but progress is made and while working on it the next micro steps can be decided on.
Each step you complete is another step towards reaching that goal.
The best thing to do is to start where you are right now with what you have.
