Starting and Next Steps

     Starting things is hard. It's scary, even if it's just the next phase of something you're already doing. I find the feeling similar to starting a new school, something I did a fair bit of growing up: no matter how many times you face it there's still trepidation and the excitement of possibility. 

    The big difference between a new school and starting something as an adult, is that as an adult you don't always have to. You don't have to start exercising more, or eating less candy, or spending less time on your phone. You probably should, but you don't have to. You also don't have to pursue your goals, or even set goals or have dreams and ambitions. Again, your life will probably be better if you do at least a few of those things, but who's going to make you? Are you? 

    Starting is challenging because it opens you up to the very real possibility of mistakes and failure. And failure is hard to deal with, especially with things that you care about. It makes things daunting, and your self-confidence small. And there in the back of your mind there's an insufferable, miserable whisper that tells you, "If you never try, you can never fail." 

    But not trying would be the biggest failure of all. If you try nothing, you don't lose nothing. You lose opportunity. You lose ambition. You lose momentum, your dreams, and then yourself. It's important to try and then to keep trying. To build yourself and your future. Take that next step. Believe in yourself. Try.

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