We tend to categorize decisions as good or bad. In doing so, we often forget that every decision is an opportunity to learn. Instead of thinking in black and white categories, it is worth looking at life as a game of action and inaction.
Do you make a decision and it works? Great, you're making progress.
Do you make a decision and it goes wrong? Still good! You have found out what is not working - and are one step closer to a solution.
Real progress doesn't happen when you spend ages looking for the "perfect" solution. It happens when you take action, learn from the results and adapt your approach.
Scientists do not expect to have all the answers immediately. They formulate hypotheses, test them, analyze the results and adapt their theories. That's exactly how you should do it.
Imagine if all researchers just waited until they found the perfect theory - many breakthroughs would never have happened. The same goes for your life.
Healthy living is not only based on lab results, but also on real experience. Science gives you guidelines, but you have to find out what works for you. No study can accurately predict how you'll respond to a diet, a workout or a new habit. The only way to find out? Try it out for yourself.
Think back to a situation where you jumped in at the deep end - perhaps with a job, a sporting challenge or a new skill. Was everything perfect straight away? Surely not. But did you learn from it and improve? Guaranteed.
Don't wait for perfect motivation or absolute self-confidence. Motivation comes from action. Movement creates momentum. Momentum strengthens your self-confidence. And the more you believe in yourself, the more motivated you become. It all starts with the first step.
If you've been waiting for a sign, here it is: get going. Now.
Start small if you have to. Drink one more glass of water today. Go for a ten-minute walk. Reach for a healthier meal. Just take the first step.
Perfection is not the goal - exercise is. Stop brooding. Stop waiting. Get started.
Because the people who are successful didn't have the best plan. They just started - and stuck with it.
Sources:
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.
Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Scribner.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Springer Science & Business Media.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper & Row.