FOND? Just Do It!
I recently read an article that “coined” the acronym FOND the "fear of not doing”.
Sure, this phenomenon is akin to FOMO and, is often driven by comparisons. It stirs up feelings of guilt for not living up to our own expectations (or others) - the business plan you laid out, the deadlines you set, your financial goals, or how many followers you have.
This is something I have struggled with since taking my leap. My vision is clouded by all the things I could be doing to build a business - write a blog (started to check that one off the list!), send out a newsletter, be more active on Instagram, attend events to learn from others what has worked/doesn’t work, network and grow my circle, host events, seek out public speaking opportunities, find ways to be inspired.
All of these are important action steps I am capable of doing, I know. But, where do I start?
I spin myself in circles, like a carousel without the fancy horses! In these moments, I try to remember the power of committing to one project. “Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back — concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too…” Goethe.
We need to choose, not compromise.
The problem with thinking about all the things we should be doing, often we end up doing nothing! To overcome this guilt or the distracting noise in our heads, we need to pick one thing (ok maybe a few - let’s be honest!) and dedicate our time, energy, and focus to that new project or next step on the path to achieving our goals.
The hardest part for me is “accepting” what I am going to focus on. Accepting that I cannot do everything (at once!). Life is long, careers take time to build and we often need a bridge from where we are, to where we are going.
When we compare ourselves or our actions to those who seem to do it with success, we are comparing the outcomes not the work that goes into those outcomes.
We often forget that their success was borne of hard work, long hours, many starts and stops, mistakes, and constant refining and redefining what success looks like for them.
What can we do? Define small and specific actions, set short-term deadlines and regular check-in with ourselves, give yourself permission to refine your process, build momentum, and assess the results.
This week I took some time to focus on family and celebrating all that I have now, tomorrow I will focus on my year-end goals.
