What’s the one thing you’re ignoring that you know you need to do?

And what are you doing to change that?

What is the one thing that you have been putting off doing for a long time? Say, greater than or equal to 3 months. What is that one thing on your mind that you keep brushing off as unnecessary, but always comes back? It doesn’t matter why you’re not doing it. It could be because you’re afraid. Because it might be expensive. Because you’re scared of the outcome. It could be you don’t know how to do it. No one ever showed you how. You don’t know what the first step looks like. It could be something that puts you out of your way. Or conjures up feelings of anxiety. Or you think is going to be a hassle to do. It doesn’t matter how big or small, and it doesn’t matter what’s stopping you. What is that one thing? And what are you doing to change that?

Something small: We’ve been talking about buying a freezer for the basement since we moved into our house in June. Jen and I both want more room to store stuff throughout the winter. I also would like to buy certain foods, like meat and frozen fruit, in bulk to save money. But, I’ve been procrastinating for a few reasons. First, since moving our monthly expenses have doubled as we buy stuff we need to get settled. And I thought this was an expense we could at least push off, and help spread out our spend. Second, I’m not sure which size to get, where I want to buy it, or what brand. Should I buy it new, or find a used one on a marketplace like Craigslist, and save some money? More of an excuse that could be decided with a little research. But, I’ve nevertheless just been stalling.

Something big: In 2020 while sitting home like everyone else I got my personal training certification. Fitness is the thing I know and love, so it made sense to pursue some type of career in this industry. Becoming a personal trainer also made sense because there are such low barriers to entry. And as I approach year 6 of being “unemployed” it’s felt like a good entry point. But it is now 2024, and I have yet to train one person. I go back and forth in my head of whether or not I actually want to train people one on one. On the one hand, I envision this great little business where I have a bunch of awesome clients who I get to help and share all of my knowledge of health and fitness with. And they in turn share their experiences with me and help me grow. On the other hand, I envision being drained of my energy by needy clients who don’t follow what I tell them to do. Feeling like a constant nag. In one vision I love it, and in the other I hate it. And the result is zero progress.

I’ve made two small commitments to try and turn inaction into action.

The freezer: Two weeks ago I took a drive to a small town in the mountains near our home. I didn’t have anything to do and there was a small food coop, so I popped in to see what they have (I can’t resist a good hippie owned food store). They had these frozen sockeye salmon filets that were the most beautiful things I’d seen when it comes to frozen fish. I bought one and cooked it for the first time the other day, and I immediately knew I wanted to have these all the time. So, I went onto the distributors website and found that the only option was a 25 lb case of frozen fillets. I ordered them. I now NEED a freezer before they arrive.

Personal training: A couple of months ago Jen and I got the idea that we should start a small gardening company. So, I immediately when onto Canva to design and order business cards. They arrived quickly and Jen posted a handful on the bulletin board at the garden center where she works. Two weeks ago we got our first job, and subsequently handed out more cards. I realized that without something tangible, this was just an idea. But once we got the business cards it felt real and like we were committed to making it happen. So, last week I went back onto Canva to design and order business cards for my personal training practice. They arrived two days ago. Now it feels real. Now it feels like I’m committed. If I don’t follow through and hand them out, it will only be because I’m afraid to. And I have a rule in life. When something feels scary, it’s usually the thing I should be doing.

I have this theory that I feel like cant just be a theory. It’s that most of us have one or two things on our mind that we need to do and we’re not doing. One or two things that are in our way, and preventing us from reaching our full potential. They could be really small, like say going to the DMV to get your license or car registration renewed. Or they could be really big, like staying at your job that you hate. But, I want to focus on the small stuff because I think that’s the stuff that clogs up our lives the most.

There’s two things that I always think about. First, until I do that “thing” (i.e. go to the DMV), I won’t have room for the next thing to enter my conscious. So, I’ll be stuck on “DMV.” The second is more conscious. If you can’t take yourself to get to the DMV, then what are the chances you’re going to leave your job. On a sub-conscious level, if you can’t do the small thing, there’s no way you’ll have the confidence to do the big one.

I believe that within all of us a path has been laid that will lead us to our greatest potential. And I think it’s guided by our intuition. There’s a quote I heard for the first time recently, but now keeps showing up in my life.

“What you seek is seeking you” - Rumi. I believe that to be true.

Our intuition is that nagging voice that keeps reminding us of the things we need to do. Our resistance is the second voice we hear, filling our head with excuses and reasons not to listen to our intuition. And every time we get hung up on a task, it prevents us from moving forward on our path.

Our intuition isn’t always right. The path isn’t straight. But it’s the best guide we have to living our best life and reaching our full potential.