The Right Time Is When You Make It

There is never going to be a perfect time

Many things in life are relegated to the future because the time just isn’t right yet. We put off looking for a new home, moving to a new state, getting a new job all because the time isn’t right. But what makes a future date a better time than now? Why are we waiting when our hearts are no longer in the present? We long for something with every fiber of our being, and passion is overflowing, but we put it off.

These things are scary. Dramatic change can be terrifying, and starting a new business is even scary if we’ve never done it before. It’s nice to dream about. It fills us with longing and hope, but that time will never come. Why? Because by the time the future date rolls around, there will be other reasons not to make the change. It will still be as scary then as it is now, and it may be even harder to shift if we wait.

Dream big but take baby steps

You already have the main goal in mind. When we start thinking about making a change, in this case starting a new business, we don’t dream of applying for a business loan. We imagine our company at its peak. We see ourselves already successful and living the dream. But that dream will never come to fruition if we don’t take smaller steps every day to reach it.

That dream of success is great because it’s your goal. It’s the prize you can focus on. You know what you want, now you must figure out how to get there. Getting there is all about baby steps. It’s easy to take stabs in the dark and guess about what can get you to the finish line, but in the end, all that’s going to do is waste your time. This is the moment you need to plan; you need to research. This is the critical time to lay down smaller goals to strive for, but goals that align with the main objective.

The thing about dramatic change is it can take time. While you’re anxious thinking about a huge shift in your life, you may not realize that a huge shift won’t happen overnight. You won’t dream about starting a business today and quit your job tomorrow. What it does take is setting those goals and working toward them every single day with one new action, one new plan, and one more step in the right direction.

This isn’t to say that every step will be met with success. You will have setbacks, you will have delays, you will get frustrated, and you will have days where you want to give up. Keep your eyes on that end goal. It’s waiting for you. Have your cry, stomp your feet if you must, but get back up, dust yourself off, and take another step. Be consistent. Never stop.

Now is the time!

Think about the future you want. Do it now. A year from now, two years from now, how upset are you going to be that you didn’t take the initiative back when you first felt the dream blossom? You could already be near the finish line, but you waited! Creating a business, or making any change for that matter, isn’t easy, and it’s never going to get easier. Change will test you, it will push your limits, and you will be consistently out of your comfort zone. Giving it time won’t change that. You can’t mentally prepare yourself for what’s to come, so why are you even trying to?

“Now is the time” should be your mantra throughout the entire process. Like making the change, there’s no perfect time for each step. It’s easy to want everything to be perfect and align, but that’s the same thinking that would see you sitting around for years, waiting for the perfect time to make the first move.

Perfection isn’t sustainable. Strive for perfection, make small steps, and lead with your best foot. Once you start taking your steps and walking your path, you want to keep that momentum going. Waiting for the right time for anything will make your momentum falter.

If you’re worried about momentum and having the courage to strike out on your new path, get people involved! Having people around to hold you accountable is a great motivator. We live in a time of Facebook, Snapchat, Tumblr, and Twitter. There are tons of people out there you can connect with who will want to see you succeed, who will bolster your confidence, and keep you trudging along when you don’t want to.

At Paper Napkin Wisdom we know how difficult entrepreneurial life can be. We want to change that. We love motivating business owners and keeping them on the right path. If you’re looking for a bit of motivation or some wisdom from people who have been where you are, check out our podcasts or blog. If you haven’t yet taken your first steps toward a new life, then we suggest starting your journey with our book.