Inside-Out Success

It’s clear: to get, we must begin. And good starts win more often than bad ones. We understand that. Why, then, is it so hard to begin?

We’ve got it all wrong. It’s our idea of “start” that stops us. The start is not the first step we take, like leaving the racing blocks, laying the foundation of a building, or even showing up for an event. It’s not the doing or getting of the many changes we desire, like the first diet meal, new workout, or study session. Those are performances, the results of the way we started. They are external. And they happen second.

Beginnings are internal. They are the desires and mental maps we create. Those thoughts become blueprints for action. They determine how we prepare, the tools we choose, the knowledge we use or seek, and the steps we schedule.

Want to improve your physical performance? Say, for instance, your tennis game. Imagine yourself hitting smooth, perfect shots. Then, think up a practice plan, find time slots, upgrade worn out equipment, and get a coach. That’s your draft blueprint. To turn it into the current, “final” version, schedule and do something.

Want to improve your mental game? Use those same steps. First, imagine success. Then, identify a plan, find time, upgrade your tools, and identify how to learn more. Finally, schedule and do.

The very, very beginning – that is the chief thing!