Have you been sitting on an amazing idea for months but feel afraid to act on it prematurely? As the keeper of a precious idea, it’s natural to wonder when the perfect time to start making your idea come to life might be. Spoiler alert: it’s a lot sooner than you think. Before we dive into the question of perfect timing, it’s good to acknowledge some of the reasons we might be asking it. These can include:
Genuine concern for the future of your idea
Procrastination or fear of failure (If you find yourself saying, “I haven’t started because I’m waiting for the perfect time” to evade the responsibility of kickstarting your idea or shielding yourself from the threat of failure, I recommend that you check out other resources to help you combat those feelings. Listed at the end of this article are a few resources that you may find helpful.)
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” - Mark Twain The truth is, once you have an idea and you begin thinking about it, you’ve already started! The real question is: when is the best time to keep going? The Roman philosopher Seneca said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” If you are not prepared, you run the risk of missing the opportunity. Allow me to introduce you to the word “Kairos.” It’s about to become your new favorite word. Kairos is more than the title of your favorite ancient Greek movie. It is an ancient Greek term that means “the opportune moment for decisive action.” Start preparing now so that when your Kairos moment arrives, you’re ready. If it’s overwhelming to get started, do the bare minimum so that you continue moving forward. This could even be five minutes a day! A great place to start is to ask yourself “How can I work toward my dream today?” and be as realistic with your answer as possible. Don’t be afraid to take things slow; getting started doesn’t mean going as fast as possible. When we get excited about our idea, we can fall into the trap of wanting things done as fast as possible, but strategically moving in the right direction one step at a time can be more rewarding in the long term. It can be discouraging if it seems like your Kairos moment is taking forever to come, but if you remain diligent and keep working toward your goal, you will be ready to seize the moment when the moment does come. Resources:
How to Overcome Your Fear of Failure | Harvard Business Review
5 Ways to Overcome Your Fear of Failure | Psychology Today
How to Overcome a Fear of Failure - Mind Tools Minutes | YouTube
A Talk about Kairos: Kairos Living in a Chronos World | Donna Marie Duffy | TEDxWilmingtonWomen – YouTube