Have you ever had an idea that was so good, so delicious and spot on that you literally feel your body quake with possibility? You are CERTAIN this is going to work. It could be a creative concept, a new business plan or (finally!) that novel you want to write.
Your passion soars and then BOOM. You stop. The voices creep in. You are paralyzed by how much you love this idea. Fear creeps in. What if this can’t happen. Won’t happen. You summon up every reason why good ideas like this don’t manifest in your life. You begin proving to yourself how crazy you are for even thinking you could be so smart, special, (fill in the blank), _________.
You are not alone. We can get paralyzed by our passion to change the world. Our vision to create a new endeavor. Our hunger to make something new.
Here are a few gems of advice I’ve received that have helped me avoid passion paralysis. (Next up – taking action!)
- “Don’t Forget to Write It Down”: When I was a kid, my grandpa Michael used to say this to me all the time whenever I tried telling him some story I was making up. It ticked me off because I didn’t want to do “homework” – I just wanted to tell stories. But he was right. Taking pen to paper helps you protect and preserve those gorgeous ideas and holds them for you until you are ready to share them again. Writing down these brilliant brainstorms can also help you keep thought organized and accountable. Excuse me, while I go jot a few things down….
- “The Steam That Makes the Whistle Blow, Never Makes the Engine Go” – A great healer I worked with whispered this to me in the middle of a brag-a-thon.. I was so busy telling everyone my ideas about what I wanted to do – she warned me that I was giving away precious energy just talking about it when what ideas really want is someone to cultivate them, nurture them and grow their potential. This has never left me. Also – one of my favorite scribes Elizabeth Gilbert writes a lot about this in her book “Big Magic”. A must read.
- “Rejection is God’s Protection”. Honestly, I can’t remember who said this to me first but I tell myself this mantra about once a day. You have to trust in divine timing, too. Sometimes when a door closes it truly is to get you to move in a different direction. Work hard, take action, but surrender to the timing. That’s the hardest piece of advice and one I still work on day to day.