Clarity Comes From Dipping Your Toes in the Water

Thinking & Planning With No Action Keeps You on Dry Land

Before I get into what dipping your toes into water means, I want to see if I get this right.....You’re struggling to see the big picture because you’re not sure which direction to go.You lack clarity.You feel the best way to get clarity is to plan and strategize in hopes that the right way will present itself.This chronic thinking and planning tends to never lead to any action, does it?Instead of picking a direction, it’s safer to not do anything because at least you’re in your comfort zone. This way you don’t fail or feel stupid if you picked the wrong direction.That’s the thing, you fail by default by never trying in the first place.What you’re missing is that picking one thing and going that direction is progress. Even if you go the wrong direction, it’s still progress.

Dipping Your Toes in the Water

I know you’ve heard the phrase “getting your feet wet” before—well this couldn’t be any more relative to this situation. If you’re scared to commit and fully dive into something head first, try dipping your toes into the water and feel it out a bit? You know, get your feet wet.When you’re starting off, it’s all just an experiment. Heck, this whole creative game is just a huge experiment I’ve been tinkering with my entire life. I’ve only found a path to pursue because I’ve dipped my toes into so many pools of water.By testing out the water, you’re feeling if it’s worth the effort to go out a little further.The same thing parallels your creative path—if you’re unsure where to go but have some things you’d like to try, put yourself out there a little bit and test it out.If you want to blog but are unsure what to blog about, try something and hit publish. If you want to share your drawings but unsure what to draw, try something and hit post.Try anything over doing nothing. Progress is progress.Based on how you feel or the reaction you get, you’ll know if it felt right or if you need to dip your toes into a different pool of water. When the water feels good and what you shared feels right, you can go a little deeper—let’s say to the knees if we are really painting a figurative picture.When your artwork or writing resonates with you, it will most certainly resonate with others over time.Keep going in that direction and you’ll find your clarity.On the other hand, you’ll have a difficult time finding clarity by getting trapped in the world of thinking and planning.You’re living on dry land, my friend.How could you ever see the big picture if you don’t get your feet wet? Dipping your toes means taking action and I have a little tip that works for me.

Create Some Urgency

I admit it, I’m a thinking and a planner. It’s my default as hanging in my comfort zone is safe. Yet I’m also an action taker, a good ole’ toe dipping dude who knows I can’t create opportunities by sitting on my keester.I know how hard it is to get started in a direction that feels so foreign.It’s what I experienced with:

1. Sharing my artwork
2. Starting a blog
3. Starting a podcast

There was so much thinking and planning involved beforehand. The perfectionist in me decided that I needed to prepare for something spectacular before I could put anything out. That preparation was unrealistic because it’s impossible to be perfect, especially when you start.[perfectpullquote align="full" cite="" link="" color="1c1c1c" class="" size="32"] If you’re struggling to see the big picture, stop stressing and take the pressure off yourself.   [/perfectpullquote]I’m just a little over 2 years into Perspective-Collective. So much has changed since from when I started and I gain more clarity towards the bigger picture when I start taking action and put the planning to a halt. I’ve learned that all the planning is really the fear in me stalling from embarking in uncharted waters.Here’s where I learned my trigger and maybe this tip will help you—the only way I’ll dip my toes and eventually commit is by setting a date to create a sense of urgency. This was the only way you’re able to read my blog or listen to my podcast. I set a date and dipped my toes in the water.This held me accountable and gave me something to work towards.

Pick a Direction

Each week I kept experimenting in a focused direction and went deeper into the water.I’m to the point where I see the bigger picture and I’m fully committed to the vision. I’m doing a deep dive and submerging myself in the water. I’m committed to my creative path and I want to bring you along for the ride.I know not every twist and turn I take will align with the bigger picture, and that’s okay—progress is still progress and it’ll signal me in the right direction. I encourage you to start dipping your toes in the water and experiment in one direction. Don’t dive into unknown waters and commit right away if you’re unsure.The only way to surely know if you’re on the right creative path is to dip your toes in the water and go a little deeper as you gain more clarity. Just remember, progress is progress.My best advice for you is to

1. Pick a direction
2. Set a target date
3. Dip your toes in the water and experiment

The rest will work itself out. It always does.

Key Takeaways

• You fail by default by never trying in the first place.
• Try anything over doing nothing.
• You’ll have a difficult time finding clarity by getting trapped in the world of thinking and planning.
• It’s impossible to be perfect, especially when you start.

-

Stop Struggling With Creating Consistent Weekly Content

Do you want to build an audience through weekly content but you’re unsure where to start?Is your current process inconsistent and you find it difficult to manage it all by yourself?All this can change with a set weekly routine and a content checklist to follow which I'm creating for you over at WeeklyContentChecklist.comThis checklist will set you up with a drawing, blogging and social strategy to help you build an audience all by yourself!