So you want to write a blog, pick up a new hobby, lose a few pounds, quit drinking, or something that even remotely fits the word ‘goal’? I believe you should go for it. Period. But how do you know you are ready for it? How do you know this is your moment? Let me explain why the fact that you get excited about it; feel like doing it; want to finally go for it; makes this moment your momentum.

There is no right time

First of all, there is never really a right time for anything. Unless you want to talk astrology, there’s no way to reason why this moment is better or worse than any other moment. Because most goals are reached thanks to dedication, a great mindset, a little bit of talent and a teeny tiny bit of luck.

Timing really isn’t something to focus on, simply because of the fact you will never know if the time is right. These things can only be judged afterwards, and there will definitely never be an afterwards if you don’t start, so really: now is as good a time as any.

Use your excitement

Secondly, I believe the fact that you get excited and want to put your effort in this goal now, really counts for something. In fact, I believe your excitement and (these first signs of) commitment are all you need to start. Think about the goal as something you like doing, and you want to do just for yourself. Don’t think about the ‘success’ of it yet. Think about it as something you can pick up just because you feel like it, and that needs to be the only reason. If you want to do it, if you enjoy doing it, or if it will make you proud to do it – that really is enough!

Trust that the fact that you feel like doing it, means that it is worthwhile putting your time and effort in. It doesn’t have to be the greatest thing you ever did, it doesn’t need to be loved and acknowledged by a great number of people, if you change your mind or if you were mistaken in your excitement – no one even ever has to know! You are allowed to do what you want, you are allowed to ‘just’ have fun with it, and you are allowed to fail at it.

Remember your childhood

Take this example: when a was a child I really liked painting and drawing. When I was really young, I was actually quite good at it – for my young age. Later on, when it was taught in school, I lost my interest for it because other kids in my class were always better. I didn’t like to do it for fun anymore, I only painted or drew when I had to do it for a school assignment, and when I became an adult I never painted anymore. I even started to believe that I was not a creative person, purely because I couldn’t paint or draw very beautifully.

But when I was in my late twenties, I suddenly had an urge to paint again. I didn’t know there it came from, but I had this image in my head (of a woman) that I really, really wanted to paint. Of course, I hesitated for the first few days. I thought: ‘I haven’t painted in ages, I probably suck at it even more than I did before’ and: ‘What if I start and it doesn’t look at all like I had imagined, I would just want to burn it afterwards’.

No one has to know (yet)

But then I asked myself the question why I wanted to paint in the first place. Was it to please other people? To end up in a museum or make a lot of money of off it? No! I just had a very basic urge to be creative and no one even knew about it. So I decided to just paint for the sake of painting, and if I hated it afterwards and wanted to burn it I was totally ok to do that. As you can already guess: it actually turned out quite good. I also never painted again (though now I know I will, if I ever feel like it again).

Take something you liked doing as a child and the excitement you felt for it, and make it an example of how you are always allowed to go for what you want, just because you feel like it. At least right now, you are motivated and excited (something you could wish to feel later in life when you think about it again, and could regret not doing when you still had the urge and motivation), you have the momentum. And if you’re still a little hesitant to show the world what you’re made of, start by showing it only to yourself. It will just be like our little secret.

xx Coco