Commence-aphobia be gone
Learning to be the conduit of your talent, and get out of your own way for true success
I have a term. It’s called “Commence-aphobia”- the fear of starting. Imagine if you could just start something that you really ❤️ , that you’re really passionate about today🥳. You could begin that new thing1️⃣. What is it that might inspire you that you like to do? Think about it. 🤔 Write it down ✍️ and just take the steps 🪜
You have to want it bad enough to get up out of bed.
Many authors have made tons of money writing books about creative motivation. Artists go to class just to stay motivated, well-oiled and disciplined. Entrepreneurs create new businesses every day. But each and every one of us has a force inside us moving in the opposite direction. While one part of us wants to move forward, another scared part of us is just trying to hide in a dark little box, hoping no one discovers our writer’s block, imposter syndrome, insecurities and fear. We then deflect: we manage to find way more important things to do, take care of or concentrate on before we create or pursue our real passions and purpose. We manage to complain about having no time, no money, no resources, no opportunities. We use all of our wonderful excuses as a crutch, because we are… scared.
Procrastination can come from fear of rejection, fear of leaving our safe home 'nest', fear of talking to the outside world, or fear that it or they won't be good enough. What else?
Fear of failure. Entrepreneurs often procrastinate because they're afraid of failing. They're afraid of not being good enough, of not being able to make their business work, or of losing all of their money. Artists procrastinate because they're afraid of not being good enough, of not being able to create something that's original or meaningful, or of being rejected by their audience. Leaders procrastinate because they're afraid of making the wrong decision, of not being able to lead their team effectively, or of being criticized by their superiors.
Perfectionism. Entrepreneurs, artists, and leaders can also procrastinate because they're perfectionists. They want to do everything perfectly, and they're afraid of starting something if they don't think they can do it perfectly. This can lead to analysis paralysis, where they spend so much time thinking about the perfect way to do something that they never actually start.
Fear of the unknown. We often procrastinate because we’re afraid of the unknown. We’re afraid of what might happen if we start something new, of taking risks, or of stepping outside of our comfort zone. This can lead to stagnation, where we stay in the same place and never achieve our full potential.
Lack of motivation. Sometimes, people procrastinate simply because they're not motivated. They're not interested in the task at hand, they don't see the value in it, or they don't believe that they can actually achieve it. This can be a problem for passion leaders, because it can prevent them from taking action and achieving their goals.
In the context of fear of starting, all of these reasons for procrastination can be traced back to the fear of failure. Entrepreneurs are afraid of failing at their business, artists are afraid of failing to create something meaningful, and leaders are afraid of failing to lead their team effectively. This fear of failure can be paralyzing, and it can prevent people from taking action and starting something new, which is what I term ‘commence-aphonia
So how do you rid commence-aphobia?
My mother, when she first started her chain of twenty games retail shops, simply began with this: “Hold your nose, shut your eyes and JUMP!”
It's so important to be self-motivated when it comes to being what I term - A “Passion Leader”. Only you can make that first step. Take the initiative.
Be a self-starter! Jump in with both feet!
ALLOW yourself to just be the conduit of your talent. Let your talent flow. Be the conduit, not the block.
ALLOW yourself to just be the conduit of your talent. Most of us are too busy thinking we’re ‘not good enough’ or ‘not talented enough’, that we are really in the way of just letting our talent flow and be whatever it’s going to be. If we could just step outside of ourselves for once, and get out of our own way, then perhaps the flow would come so much more easily. I call that ‘being the conduit’ of your talent, rather than being the block. When I’m in the studio recording as a music producer, I see myself merely as a slave to the song that is speaking to me. I become a conduit to let the best production of that song come through. When I’m launching a new product to market, leading tens or hundreds of people in teams to deliver on time and on budget, I have to stay in the moment, and focus on completing the tasks, no matter how enormous they are, rather than worrying about what-if it fails. Failure is not an option in the moment. If I start putting my fears, insecurities, and even my own judgments to the process, I would only sabotage the act of creation and therefore the success of the project. Being a conduit means to help the creativity come through, but not hinder it with negative self-sabotage.
We get so many little voices whispering in our heads saying “no no no”, that you just have to turn them off sometimes and shout out “yes!”, even if you’re unsure of the direction you’re going. Just by saying “yes” and giving it a go will help eliminate all the doubts, and your confidence will grow just by doing.
When you're giving a presentation, see yourself as a conduit for the information you're sharing. Don't worry about being perfect or saying the wrong thing. Just focus on letting the information flow through you to your audience.
When you're writing a book, see yourself as a conduit for the story that wants to be told. Don't worry about whether or not it's good enough. Just let the story flow through you and onto the page.
When you're painting a picture, see yourself as a conduit for the beauty that you see in the world. Don't worry about whether or not it's realistic or technically perfect. Just let the beauty flow through you and onto the canvas.
When you're starting a new business, see yourself as a conduit for the vision that you have for your company. Don't worry about the obstacles that you might face. Just focus on letting your vision flow through you and into your business.
When you're making a decision, see yourself as a conduit for the best possible outcome. Don't worry about making the wrong decision. Just focus on letting the best possible outcome flow through you and into your decision-making process.
When you're leading a team, see yourself as a conduit for the team's collective genius. Don't worry about being the smartest person in the room. Just focus on letting the team's collective genius flow through you and into the team's work.
Being a conduit of your talent means being willing to let go of your ego and your fears. It means trusting that you have something valuable to offer the world, and that you're worthy of success. It means being present in the moment and allowing your talent to flow freely.
When you're able to be a conduit of your talent, you'll experience a level of creativity and fulfillment that you never thought possible. you'll be able to achieve great things. You'll be able to start successful businesses, make great decisions, and lead teams to achieve their goals. You'll also be able to make a positive impact on the world.
Start to
Identify your strengths and weaknesses. What are you naturally good at? What do you enjoy doing? What are you passionate about? What are your weaknesses?
Practice your strengths. The more you practice, the better you'll become at using your strengths. Don’t focus too much on developing your weaknesses. Focus on what you are really good at. Spend your time on the positive: your passions and talents.
Face your fears. If you're afraid of failure, you need to face your fears head-on. Start by taking small steps towards your goal, and gradually increase the size of those steps as you become more comfortable.
Set realistic goals. Don't set yourself up for failure by setting unrealistic goals. Start with small, achievable goals, and gradually increase the difficulty of your goals as you become more successful.
Break down large tasks into smaller steps. Large tasks can be daunting, and they can be more likely to lead to procrastination. Break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable steps, and focus on completing one step at a time.
Reward yourself. When you complete a task, reward yourself with something you enjoy. This will help you to stay motivated and to continue moving forward.
Get help from others. If you're struggling to overcome procrastination on your own, don't be afraid to ask for help from others. Talk to a friend, family member, therapist, or coach, like me. I’m inviting 10 people this month to come work with me in theCrea8ve Mastermind.
Believe in yourself. Don't let your fears or insecurities hold you back. Trust that you have something valuable to offer the world.
Be present in the moment. When you're focused on the present moment, you're more likely to be able to let your vision, your intuition, and your wisdom flow freely.
Don't be afraid to fail. Failure is a part of the learning process. Don't let it discourage you from pursuing your dreams.
If you're willing to let go of your ego and your fears, and trust that you have something valuable to offer the world, you can be a conduit of your talent and achieve your full potential.
Live in the moment and surrender to the amazing opportunities that the universe is bursting to deliver us. The only way you can do that is to GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION to be the person you’ve always wanted to be.
YOU ARE WORTHY OF YOUR SUCCESS. Why? BECAUSE YOU LOVE WHAT YOU DO. That’s all the answer you need.
No matter where you are, manifest the positives and the joy.
Be passionate about what you do, because passion is everything. Be ambitious and go for what you truly want. Dream your dreams - because dreams can come true. We are just at the beginning and there is so much for all of us to become passion leaders in life.
Believe.
Commence-aphobia. Be gone! 🏃🏽♀️🏃🏃🏿♂️
xo,
Gilli
