Brave birds and fruit chunks…. Procrastination at its finest!

Early morning sunbeams pierce through the tree canopy sloping away below us. Wisps of mist evaporate above the trees; a souvenir of last night’s torrential rain. Beyond the trees, the green gives way to a long, white, sandy beach that stretches from East to West, as far as the eye can see. I can hear the booms from distant waves pounding the shoreline.

The hotel where we’re having breakfast this morning has a paved terrace with panoramic views along South Africa’s, lush-green ‘Garden route’, overlooking the coastal village of Wilderness below. Next to our table, our gracious hostess ‘Des’ rests a plate of ripe banana, papaya and pineapple chunks on top of the waist-high, limestone wall, as she does each morning.

“Watch the birds come”,

She signals to JJ and me.

Hidden in the depths of the surrounding bush, a chirping chorus builds to a cacophony. JJ and I eagerly anticipate a flash of gold, green and red plumes to burst through the trees as our fine-feathered friends swoop in to feast. Up for grabs is an abundance of mouthwatering, low hanging fruit. But these finch-like birds are not for stirring. Instead, they slowly and politely take a seat on the outer tree branches.

Something’s not right!

Several minutes pass with the fruit and the birds as perfect strangers. And, I’m reminded of a classic, cowboy gunfight showdown, watching and waiting for the first one to draw.

Suddenly from above, a large, green, Lourie bird swoops in, lands next to the plate and eats all the fruit in less than five seconds.

JJ & I sip our coffee in silent bewilderment.

This got me to thinking, when it comes to embracing new and exciting opportunities, why are many able jump in and grab the fruit without hesitation, while others hold back and miss out? What is it that keeps us in lack, when abundance is right in front of us for the taking?

Is abundance really just

one brave jump away?

I have a passion for helping ambitious entrepreneurs to grow a successful online business. Our two world-class business trainings in Cape Town this November were no exception.

During the past five years as a business coach, I’ve noticed a common behaviour that holds many of my clients back from taking their dream business to the next level.

PROCRASTINATION.

Erica Jong says, “We are so many scared of being judged (including judging ourself) that we look for every excuse to procrastinate.”

Many of us can relate.

Over the years, I’ve lost several showdowns to procrastination, and I paid the price of inaction with regret.

Martin Luther King Jr reminds us,

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase,

just take the first step.”

Right now, there may be a situation in your life or business that requires a brave new step forward, but you may feel the insidious and crippling tug of “what if I fail?” or “What if it’s not good enough?”

If this speaks to you, I invite you to take a deep breath and join me in repeating the following mantra…

“I choose the excitement of action above the regret of procrastination.”

Look. I get that you may be scared to take a leap of faith without having any guarantees you’ll succeed. I do it all the time. It’s what entrepreneurship is all about. Making your dream business a reality is not without risk. Neither is procrastinating and risking a life of regret.

The truth is everything comes at a cost,

including doing nothing.

“We gain strength, courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face…we must do that which we think we cannot.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

What are you procrastinating on because you fear judgment or failure? What action could you take today to make progress in your desired direction or planned task? Let me know by a comment below or email me at hello@carlbrooks.com. I love to hear from you.

Supporting your success,

Carl