January 20, 2020 marks day one of a new administration in the White House, hooray! The exuberance and euphoria are palpable. A new day, a new chapter, a new future! The spirit of change is not only inspiring, it’s a great reminder that to get hard work done, we need a plan. And just as President Biden and Vice President Harris have set out their first 100 day plan, why not embark on your own?

Many of us wait for the “right time” to get started on a major change- such as improving our diet, making a career move, or formulating a business plan. Someday, however, is not a day of the week!

What if we took that first step?

What if we stopped consuming so much in our social media feeds that register to us that someone else is more qualified, had a head start or is smarter, more accomplished, more articulate? The list of negatives goes on and on in our head and our great idea remains just that, an idea. Why do we take those thoughts at face value and not investigate them a little further? Is there evidence to support the negative thought loop? Can you imagine how often we let an opinion (often our own) hold us back from our potential? More importantly, what’s the antidote?

First we have to pay some attention to our thoughts and clean out the clutter–the thoughts that are not serving us and are holding us back. It’s time to look at the thoughts methodically and separate “the facts” from opinion. This may require a bit of practice, especially when we  are vested in the narrative reel that is spinning over and over on repeat. We often conflate our thoughts with our feelings. But, as I discussed in my earlier post, we know that feelings are one word. So, if you are starting a thought with “I feel …” that’s a classic example of inserting an opinion into the mix. Facts, on the other hand, are neutral statements, one’s that reasonable people would agree to. Try it, see if that doesn’t free up mind space and restore energy in its place. It’s calming to declutter and be organized.

Once you’ve decluttered and now have more capacity, it’s about taking action! Action is the antidote to quashing the negative thought loop once and for all. How to start? Set out an action plan–your personal first 100 day plan. Think about your key anchors, your decision making process, what research you need to undertake. Write down the criteria that is driving your desire for change. Give thought to purpose, impact, enjoyment, success, money….be clear about what drives you!

Surprisingly, some of the most entrepreneurial success stories didn’t wait until they had all the knowledge, money, resources, experience to get what they wanted. But what they did have was and action plan and they took that critical first step forward.

So what’s it going to be: one day I’ll get around to starting or today’s day one of fulfilling my dream?