Overcoming Perfection: Episode V — Conviction
Courage is the conviction of something far more real.
The opposite of fear, courage, isn’t the absence of fear, it is the conviction of something far more real.
We need to get convinced that what we are pursuing is greater than the fear we feel in the moment.
If you were sitting next to a stranger, and someone approached you with a bucket of water and said “dump this bucket of water onto that stranger.”
You would probably say no and not do it. I would hope.
Why? You have no reason to do it. You aren’t convinced why you should.
Now, if that same person gave you a bucket of water and said dump it on that person because they are on fire, you would probably, hopefully, have no hesitation in dumping a bucket of water on them.
All social norms, acceptances, logical reasoning, and hesitations would go out the window. You are convinced that you have to do that action (dumping the bucket of water) right now!
And, absolutely, I would bet money that you wouldn’t stop and try to figure why the person was on fire, discuss what type of water to dump on them, what is the best dumping mechanism, does the temperature of the water matter, what is pH of the water — you would just do it because you’re convinced by something far more real.
In this case, helping them. Which is why the young knight can fight the dragon, which is why someone can stand up against tyranny, which is why billion dollar companies get built in garages, which is why people can overcome the most dire of situations and challenges.
This is how we need to attack our goals. By getting convinced that there is nothing sweeter in life than absolutely crushing our goals. That success is your responsibility and duty. That you were given the beautiful gift of life to do this.
Whatever it is, get that conviction. That thing that gets your engine revving like it can’t be stopped.
Exercise: Fanatical Exhaustion.
Here is an exercise — do what you need to do to accomplish your life goals, right now.
Don’t know what they are? Then take 3 minutes to write them down. This isn’t a to-do list. This is what you want to be written on your tombstone, what defines you, what you will be remembered for, what others will write in your biography.
Some mental stimulation for those finding life’s goals: Where do you plan to be in 1, 5, 10, 15, and 30 years? Don’t write out one for each of those. You have 3 minutes. When you’re day dreaming off in the distance, what are you dreaming about? What type of person do you want to be? Who do you want to be like?
Now ask — what can I do, right now, to get one step closer to these goals? Then go do it.
Not later today or tomorrow. Right now. (Like, stop reading this and GO! Wait..why are you still here? I can see you reading this!)
Forget about all the crap and just get it done.
Don’t make a list. Don’t plan when you will get it done at a later time. And don’t worry about finishing, just start.
New things come up? Do them right then.
Every time you get an urge to plan or put off or justify not doing it now — make a note. Say to yourself “The grading rubric of life is 50 pounds of pots, not one perfect pot that never gets made.”
Then do the thing you weren’t going to do!
At the end of the day, look at all the times you were going to stop pursuing your goals and didn’t stop and kept going. Bravo!
Try this for a day or two. You’ll feel exhausted. You’ll feel like you’re running all over the place, because you are. It is simply an exercise to nurture that action based impulse and even over a short period of time you’ll find that voice of doubt and fear begin to silence itself.
Soon, you’ll become more disciplined in your approach by directing the fanaticism to those goals in your life that matter most.
Cut away all the crap, all the reasons why you shouldn’t do it right now — don’t worry they will always be there when you need them (spoiler alert: you never will) — and just do it right now, get from point A to point of success in the most direct path and as quickly as possible.
As imperfect as it will be, it will be more perfect than the to-do that never gets crossed off, than the task that never gets completed, than the than the goal that never gets accomplished, or the dream that never gets realized.
Trust me, by the time it is all over — you will be amazed at how much you got done. And even more amazed at how much closer you are to your goals.
Talk Soon Makers,
— mitchell
I work everyday to become a professional maker of something from nothing. Big and unimaginable goals are my boogie and achieving them is my song. If that analogy makes sense to you or you feel like you relate, hit the follow button. If you enjoyed this or didn’t enjoy this, please like and comment or whatever you do on the source you are viewing this from. Most importantly, share this with someone you love. You can follow me here on Medium or Instagram.
