“I can’t do it.”
“Everyone thinks I’m crazy.”
“I’m going to fail.”
“Who am I kidding?”
You get an idea and for a brief moment, you think it’s brilliant. But just as quickly, you convince yourself it can’t be done. The moment passes and the idea fades away. It happens time and time again – and perhaps in some ways for good reason (let’s face it if we pursued every wild idea we had we’d never actually get anything done).
But what about the idea that sticks with you? The business you want to start. The thing you want to try. The marathon you want to run. The change you want to create. The goal you want to achieve. The impact you want to have.
Those ideas – that idea – the one(s) that stick with you, that you can’t shake, may seem crazy, but there’s a reason that it won’t go away. It means you’re onto something. It’s a sign that you’ve discovered something that may in fact be crazy, so incredibly crazy that it’s begging to be pursued.
If you pursue every wild idea you have – you’d never get anything done. Similarly, and contrarily, if you never pursue any wild ideas you have, you’d never get anything done.
Where would you be today if you talked yourself out of every crazy idea you’ve ever had? You’d never have the job of your dreams. You’d never meet the love of your life. You’d never have published your book. You wouldn’t cross the finish line. You’d always be wondering, “what if?”
Take note of the words in John Mayer’s song about Walt Grace (and watch the video below):
“‘Cause when you’re done with this world,
You know the next is up to you.
And his wife told his kids he was crazy,
And his friends said he’d fail if he tried,
But with a will to work hard,
And a library card,
He took a homemade, fan-blade, one-man submarine ride.”
The funny thing about our craziest ideas? They’re usually our best ones.
Whoever you are, wherever you are, when you’re “done” with the world you find yourself in, (always) remember that the next is up to you.