2 Motivational Words to Kickstart your new year.

Just start. 

Those are two of the best words that I’ve ever heard. 

It’s so easy. No matter what you’re wanting to tackle, just start. 

No matter what your goals are this year, just start.

No matter how far away your ideal life seems, just start.

When I was in college, I had an incredible mentor whose name was Nathan. I still consider him one of my closest friends even though we don’t talk often. 

Nathan was the kind of guy who just bled encouragement. No matter how you felt, he was going to make your day. 

There was a particular day when I was thinking about the future. As many college students know, your life is practically planned out through college. But what happens after that? Then what? 

College is, for many young people, the first time they’re out on their own…making their own decisions. It’s a nice, safe environment to test out their new freedoms. 

But after college comes a rude awakening…

What the heck am I doing with my life?!?

We’ve all felt that at some point. Some of us are still feeling that at times (myself included).

But eventually, we have to start going in a direction. Any direction. It almost doesn’t matter what direction because…everyone is expecting us to go and do SOMEthing with our lives.

But it doesn’t have to be that complicated.

As I’ve written about before, clarity comes with movement. Sometimes we just need to get moving. We don’t need all the nitty-gritty details of the destination. The joy is often in the journey.

But back to Nathan…there was a certain day where I was really anxious about the future. Where was I going to live? Where was I going to work? Who would be my future friends? What if life isn’t as exciting as it is right now? 

And my wonderful friend Nathan, in all his wisdom, could sense my anxiousness. Without any prompting, he simply put his arm around me and said:

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

I immediately felt a weight lift from my shoulders. 

I thought to myself, “You mean, I don’t have to have it all figured out?”

Isn’t that beautiful? You don’t have to have it all figured out to take a step! You only have to start. 

Just start. With a single step. It’s okay to merely have an idea. But once you start going, other things come into view that you didn’t expect. And your course will change. And that’s okay.

So no matter what you want to change or embark on in 2017. Just start. Take a step. Ask yourself, “What’s the next best step?” And take it. And then another, and another, and another. Until you eventually get to where you’re going. And when you get there, it starts all over. 

So my encouragement to you today is simple: just start. Whether you’re wanting to lose 50 pounds or start a new business or FINALLY get your life in order. Just start.