Start

Hello there, I will like to start today’s post with a story…

While I was in the Junior Secondary school, I attempted a debate in my class as a representative from my row (it was a debate pitting rows against one another). Hearing the topic, I started developing ideas in my head, what I would say in front of the class. I stood up, shy and timid; never done this before; I got to the front of the class, did the usual debate introductions and ….; well, that is exactly what happened. Totally went blank. I did not know how to put my thoughts and ideas into words. I stared into the class with my colleagues staring back at me; probably wondering what was wrong with me. I eventually returned to my seat embarrassed and ashamed of myself for not even giving a point.

Well, I may have gone blank but I did not lack ideas; I just did not know how to start.

Often times, I pick my pen to write an article or a story; I know what I want to write about, I know what I want to achieve with this piece but my notebook remains blank. Why?

One would expect that all you need is your idea. Once you have that, you have already finished the piece. However, you have your ideas, you probably have a few materials, why haven’t you started?

Ideas that remain in your head are of no good to yourself and to others; they are like wasted resources.

Sometimes, I end up giving up on some writing projects or some other projects just because I fail to start. I kinda developed my own version of this quote; he who fails to start, starts to fail. I’m sure you get the point.

I am pretty sure a lot of us are familiar with these scenarios.

So what is the way out? Just Start!

The funny thing is even when we have what we need to start, we are not satisfied with what we have. Often times, we want that perfect start, that flawless introduction or headline, that captivating punchline!

Well, I do not speak for everyone but nothing brilliant I ever did started perfectly. I really cannot recall any project I started and completed whose start was perfect. It always had its way of growing into a perfect piece.

At the beginning of this year, many of us penned down goals, visions, projects and so on which we would like to be accomplished by the end of the year. However, for majority of us, that is where it ends. It meets its waterloo and doesn’t go beyond that point. You know why? Because, we look for that perfect beginnings, perfect starts till we eventually give up believing it will never work out or like people will say; “it just wasn’t meant to be”.

Hey, you might not get all that you think you want to start, but you can still start something. It might be a small beginning but remember that we are encouraged not to despise the days of little beginnings. You may make mistakes along the way but they are not beyond corrections.

If you are scared of starting something simply because you feel inadequate, incomplete, you’ll end up living a fantasy with no substance to show for all the ideas and dreams.

So stop waiting… Start Now!!!