If you're having a rough day.
And feeling impatient.
And so ready for your thing to be done, successful, or over.
If you just don't feel like doing anything.
Or your inbox is overwhelming you.
Remember: Things Take Time.
It takes time to build the business of your dreams.
It takes to explore your own world, and learn what really works for you.
It takes time to get to know your Right People.
It takes time to build that safety net, declare that freedom, and prepare for the adventure.
Things take time.
And just beause you're not there yet,
Or you can't see when you will be,
Or it just takes more than you have.
It doesn't mean anything is wrong.
You're in the middle.
You're in between starting, and feeling some kind of completion.
You're in the middle of enthusiasm for the new thing, and pride in the finished thing.
And that's ok, because it's not just you.
Things take time for the overnight-success, for the in-business-10-years, for the started-last-nights.
Things take time for the maker with 1 sale, 100 sales and 10000 sales.
Things take time for the newly launched and the much-refurbished.
Things will take time for you,
even though you push,
even though you fight,
even though you really thought you could get there faster.
The only thing to do, when you feel like it's just taking too much time, is to reassess.
Are you clear on your destination (hint: make it shorter + closer + doable)?
Have you created a map to take you there?
Do you do at least one thing every day that will bring you closer?
Forget the long to-do lists, the inbox, the somedays, and just pick ONE thing that moves you closer.
And then another one tomorrow.
And although things take time, you'll get there.
Kerry
September 10, 2012 at 5:32 pm (12 years ago)Thanks for the reminder Tara!
Ruben Brito
September 11, 2012 at 10:08 am (12 years ago)I love lists, but sometimes they work against me. If I complete items on the list, my mind remembers all other items at the same time instead of 1 or the most interested item to work on next. This definitely slows me down as time goes on.
This is a great post.
Tara Swiger
September 11, 2012 at 10:29 am (12 years ago)Thanks, Ruben!
I totally get your problem with lists! It’s part of the reason the Map-Making Guide has you first put together your path into a timeline (what will happen first, second) and then organize a list under that, so you know what things bring you to the next place…hopefully helping you focus on just the next thing for faster movement.
Tara Swiger
September 11, 2012 at 10:29 am (12 years ago)So glad, Kerry!
Amy Crook
September 11, 2012 at 10:36 pm (12 years ago)This has really been a theme for me this month, seeing both the fruits of my past labors starting to ripen, and remembering to keep planting new seeds and be patient for them to grow, flourish and bear fruit.
Tara Swiger
September 12, 2012 at 10:07 am (12 years ago)Yes, Amy! Thanks for reminding me that the other half of this equation is that later, kinda unexpectedly, good things happen! Seeds blossom!