Just Do It!

Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?

Nike was really onto something with their popular slogan “Just Do It”.  Very rarely can an entire philosophy, a metaphor for life if you will, be summed up in a marketing slogan for a brand name.  “Just Do It” is just that, a philosophy and a metaphor for life.

Prior proper planning prevents piss poor performance.  That much is true. We should all plan ahead in our lives.  After all, if something is worth doing, then it’s worth planning for.  I would like to remind you though that the “Ready, Aim, Fire” approach does involve actually firing at some point.  It makes no sense to aim at something unless you actually plan on firing.  This should ring especially true to deer hunters, who know that they aren’t going to bring home anything if all they are doing is watching the deer walk by through their scopes.  Eventually, the deer will run away, and you’ll be left with nothing to show for your effort.

This brings me to my point.  Thinking too much about something can be counter productive.  It’s a condition known as analysis paralysis, which is one of my favorite terms ever coined.  Not only does it strike a chord with me, it has the added benefit of being a cute little phrase that rhymes.  And it’s just fun to say.  Analysis paralysis.  Wow, it sounds like the name of a roman war hero.  Totally cool.

At any rate, analysis paralysis is a very common problem, and one that I had for too long.  For several years, I continued to plan my business strategy, continually revising it and fixing potential problems, not wanting to make any mistakes at all.  I knew that if I made ANY mistakes, then they would be out in the open, and would be ammunition for naysayers to use against me.  I felt that by failing to troubleshoot all possible problems before going public, I would be doing myself and my business a great disservice.  Eventually, I came to the realization that after several years of prior proper planning, I had absolutely nothing tangible to show for it.

We are all human, (At least, I assume that you are a human. If you are not though, feel free to continue reading) and as human, we will make mistakes.  It is not important that you make as few mistakes as possible.  What is important is that you learn from your mistakes and that you grow from them.  Don’t worry about being perfect.  Besides, striving for perfection isn’t the best use of your time anyway.  The cliché is that pencils have erasers because nobody is perfect.  Nobody ever became successful in their business by being afraid of making mistakes.  On the contrary, most successful entrepreneurs became successful by having the courage to admit their mistakes and move on.  (With George Lucas being a notable exception)

The phrase “Just Do It” is ingenious on so many levels.  It single handedly made Nike sneakers a must-have commodity, and established their brand name to the point where the company didn’t even have to put their name in the commercials anymore, as their trademark “Swoosh” was so recognizable.  For whatever reason, “Just Do It” strikes a chord with us all, reminding us that in order to get ahead in life, we have to step forward, and make it happen.  Stop thinking, just create action.

Note, however, that “Just Do It” is a better course of action for you to follow if you know what you want to do, but you’re overthinking.  If that’s not the problem, you may be suffering from “Someday Syndrome” in which case you know what you want to do, but for whatever reason, you’re just not putting forward any attention or energy to it.  If that is the case, then you need to work on it in another way, but I digress.

If “Just Do It” can establish Nike as a behemoth in the shoe industry, and convince millions of people to get out and exercise in $80 sneakers, just think what it can do for you in your career.  How would you benefit if you took fear and apprehension out of the equation, and did whatever you could to move your career forward in a way that is more conducive to your calling in life?  Are you too busy thinking about life instead of living it? Stop thinking.  Just do it.

So whether you are at the gym, working through those last few painful repetitions, or a hungry young go-getter, with ambitions stacked high, the phrase “Just Do It” can be all the motivation you need.  Sometimes, when you’re looking around for motivation, and a reason to continue what you’re doing, remember those words of wisdom.  Just keep doing it… keep grinding.  Because eventually it will be a habit and you won’t have to think about it anymore.

Posted in Build Your Career