Just Do It – Anyway

After a lifetime of exercise, many and various, I recently saw a new exercise that I wanted to add to my routine. It looked and sounded fairly simple, but in practice it was more complicated than it seemed. At first, I felt quite foolish, but as I performed it on a regular basis I became more proficient and gained increasing value from the exercise. It made me think of the old Bruce lee quote about not fearing a man who has practised 1000 moves once, but one who has practised one move 1000 times.

And I think we all experience this in our daily lives in many ways. We may be given a new position at work and move from being an expert in our old position to being almost a beginner in the new, and it is only after some time, persistence and consistency that we start to become an expert in the new field. This often happens when we are promoted into a management position. We need to become skilled in management and leadership, not just in job function. This requires new skills that need to be taught and learnt.

This process is quite natural for children as they progress from babyhood, but for adults it often seems more difficult. My mindset with this new exercise was that I ought to be able to do it, based on years of exercise experience, rather than the idea that because it was something completely new it may be difficult at first.

The words ‘at first’ are the important ones here. Whenever we try something new, step out of our comfort zone or take on a new challenge, it will, at first seem a little strange, difficult even. That is not a sign that we should stop, but rather that we need to consistently persevere, and we will become better and better. Remember, even Bruce Lee had a day when he began, as a beginner, not an expert. Overnight success often takes many years to achieve.

So whatever it is, start, just do it, and don’t give up. You will get there.