Have you ever had trouble getting started on a project?  A project that you really want to do, one that gets you excited whenever you talk about it at a Chamber meeting or out to dinner with real friends, a project that pushes all your buttons: but you just can’t get it started.  This is my story…..

My project is to turn my speaking topics on productivity, longevity and fun for men (also known as men’s health) into an absolutely riveting, entertaining and useful book for men.   I intend to write the first ever book on men’s health that men actually read, and maybe even act on.  But I haven’t.  And more importantly I couldn’t work out what was stopping me. 

I finally realised it was space.  I had some, but it was the wrong type.  It was my ‘busy’ space – the desk where phones rang, emails demanded action, payments were made, meetings were arranged, business correspondence written and financial records were processed.  Whenever I sat down to start my project any attempts at creativity and planning were invaded by all this busy work.  And so was my mind: I was trying to do creative work in my admin space, but my mind would not be tricked.  It promptly switched from right side activity to left side activity and I got busy.  So there was my barrier: my external and internal spaces were neither suitable nor ready for the task at hand.

I realised progress depended on a different quality of physical space and discipline of my mental space.  So I did the unthinkable: I sought help! This goes against all the programming of the male mind and was quite a breakthrough.  I did a ‘paper flow workshop’ (Kikki K, Maroochydore) to learn how to manage all the pits of paper, bills, invoices, letters, notes, appointments, etc that come over my desk. Then amazingly, I actually implemented the plan and noticed an immediate change in the appearance of my workspace and the feel of sitting down to a clear work top instead of a clutter of horizontally filed paper where priority had been overwhelmed by arrival date. 

Next was my head space.  No convenient workshop for that one!  It required some coaching from a fellow speaker and author to help me identify what my ideal head space should be, and how to retain it against constant invasions from external and internal sources. 

Now I am ready – title done. Web domain? Done.  Chapter concepts? Done.  Outlines? Next.  But that’s me, what is the message for you?  Who cares?  I’m underway!  No, that’s a bit harsh – the questions I would like to pass on are simple: what is stopping you from your next leap to greatness?  What simple steps can you take that will allow you to achieve your next success in business or life?  And are you prepared to ask for help?  Is your workspace or headspace holding you back, because if it is and you can conquer it, the universe beyond is beckoning.

 Cheers for now,

Craig