Try

"If at first you don't succeed ... why do you keep on repeating the same mistakes?"

I am a big believer in trying and re-trying something, but only if I know that what I am doing is wrong, and I am trying to work out just exactly WHAT I did wrong.
It's like hitting the tennis ball over the net ... no, that stroke didn't work, ok I need more power, less top spin, more ... you get the point ...

But what if the person is just hitting the ball and doesn't change his / her stroke - what is the point in that? To be honest most people DO live their lives like that. They do the same things in the same way. They eat the same foods, on the same day each week. They wear the same clothes, they associate with the same kinds of people, and go to the same kinds of places - and these people are the ones who sigh and wish something, somehow would change ...
SORRY it doesn't work like that - no honestly it doesn't.

There are few people in this world who make it the first time they try, but at least they did - and they didn't stop trying:
* The BIG names in fiction today, had written for years, submitting manuscripts, refining their technique - before they hit the big time. Just because we hadn't heard of their work before, doesn't mean they hadn't toiled for years to get to the big time. The truth is - they had.
* A company doesn't build a website and the day after the launch receive a gazillion hits and every other one is a conversion and a million dollar order. No, really it just doesn't happen.
* You can't expect to go for the first job you apply for straight out of school and get the CEO's position.

It takes time, patience and a good deal of temerity.
Does that mean you should give up BEFORE you start?
Of course not! One of the key's to achieving anything is "to start" - then
Refine, if needs be
Try again
Refine
Try again
Take a deep breath - refine - what worked, what didn't work?
Go again ...
Little by little, we move forwards. Occasionally if we are "lucky" - things seemingly fall into place and we go again.
Do not be afraid of making mistakes - the big names have, so why should we think we are going to succeed the very first time?
Deep breath - because it is time to go again

Just do it

There is a lot to be said for just doing it ...
People often ask how they can find the motivation to start, they usually don't like my answer - because the answer is - just start.

Consider this
You can't start a fire without fire
You need a spark of some kind to get the fire going
If you are not motivated to exercise, the best thing you can do is to put your track gear on and get moving. A few minutes into your exercise session, you usually forget that you didn't want to start, so you keep going. Yes, endorphins do play a big part in your reward system for moving, but so does knowing that you overcame your procrastination problem and did it anyway.

*pats self on back*

And it is the same with everything I have come across.
When I don't want to write, the best thing I can do for myself and my clients is to write. Five minutes I tell myself. I can do anything for 5 minutes.
If on the rare occasion  I can't go beyond the 5 minutes because the creative streak hasn't kicked in, then I WILL do something else - but that is rarely the case.
So if you are struggling to start anything today - give yourself just 5 minutes to do something towards achieving that particular issue, and you may be pleasantly surprised at what comes out of it.
Remember, to start a fire, you need to find the spark that will light it ... And you find it by starting

Dream on...

"All the things we achieve are things we have first of all imagined"
 David Malouf

You cannot create that which you cannot see
You cannot create that which you believe cannot be created
You cannot change your life until you change your beliefs
And
You begin to believe in the beauty of your dreams and your infinite right to create the life you need to create.

Dreams are important, in fact they are essential to life.

Everything you see around you was first just an idea in the mind of someone who wondered, what would happen if ...

But that is usually where it stops. Our subconscious kicks in, assuming our well meaning family and friends haven't already chucked a massive bucket of cold water on our ideas...

We are told to stop dreaming, get a proper job. We are asked - what are you doing that for? We are questioned, we are ridiculed, and when we give up we are told, "see I told you so"

So what can we do?

Well, I have gone through my life alternating between telling people what I am going to do, and being told I am too old, the wrong sex, that my idea is stupid - and going it alone. So now, I usually take the first couple of steps and when it is obvious it is working, then I may say something.

But imagine just for a moment, if you had the support of your family, friends and your local bank manager ... what kind of difference would that make to you? Would you be more or less likely to go for your dreams and goals?

So -

What would happen if -

What you dreamed about, you could bring about?

Would you be excited at the prospect of your future life? Or do you need to add a few more colours to the palette that is your life at the moment?

Let your mind wander, never be afraid to dream big things. But after you have added the details to your "dream" it is vital that you do something, anything that will start moving you towards bringing that dream into your life.

You say "I want a new car"

Ok - what sort, what style, what engine size, what colour, where will you go for a test drive, how much will it cost, do you need to talk finance to someone, do you need to get another job, do you need to get your licence, do you need to ... WHAT do you need to do to reach that goal of owning that car?

And it is the same with anything - a new job, a new house, a new company, running a marathon, studying for a degree, a new widget ... it's your dream, you tell me.

Never stop dreaming ...

With many dreams and goals in mind, how about you?