Thursday, December 29, 2011

Don't Think, Just Do - New Year's Resolution

A very good friend of mine has become fond of saying, "Don't think, just do," and it made me think. Perhaps I'm missing the point. ;) But seriously, if you think about it, it's very powerful stuff. Rather than getting bogged down with over thinking and over planning, just get moving. That's how things will get done. I'm no different than anyone else. I'm guilty of becoming overwhelmed with extraneous details too and at the end of the day, I know it's just wasted time and it can be paralyzing.

Quite often if we spend so much time thinking about what we should be doing, or have to be doing, or how we're going to do it, we invariably find reasons why it's not such a great idea, or why it won't work, or other things pop up that are seemingly urgent and take our attention away from what's truly important. In short, we come up with excuses.

Seth Godin talks a lot about the lizard brain and how it is largely responsible for holding us back from doing and achieving the things we really want to do and achieve. Here's a little video that introduces you to the lizard brain if you're not already familiar. And do yourself a favour and pick up a copy of Seth Godin's book, Linchpin.



If you have some music projects you want to start, then just start before the lizard brain swings into action and takes the wind out of your sails. Put a band together, write some songs, seek out songwriters to work with, start recording a demo, EP or full-length album, begin the necessary research to book your own tour, start a blog, build your website, whatever it is you really want to be doing. If you need help in a particular area, find someone who's knowledgable and experienced to help you get things rolling. Believe that there are plenty of people out there that would be delighted to help you, because that's the truth.

And make sure it's something that you truly want to be doing. Don't start taking action on literally every thought that passes through your mind. Just act on the ones that really resonate with you. The ones that excite you and keep you awake at night filled with enthusiasm. The way you feel about different endeavours is the key to knowing what to do. Check in with yourself and always be honest and that will keep you on the right path.

Don't get all worried about failing. Failure is good. Embrace it and learn from it. That's the only way to get where you're going. Like Godin always says, the most important thing is to ship. If you never ship, then it's just an idea in your head and that isn't worth much more than no idea at all.

In 2012, I will resolve to do more and think less. What are some of the things you want to do and experience in the new year? Please share!

8 comments:

  1. Good blog! Bookmarked for those days i need to read it again and again.

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  2. Awesome advice. Even if common sense should tell us all of these things, we seem to have a way to forget. So thanks for reminding us.
    :-)

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  3. Yep, so true. I think most of us do know and we all need to be constantly reminded. Thanks, Chris!

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  4. Nice blog! You come long way grasshopper.

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  5. thank you so much. i really need to learn this.

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