You Only Get One Chance to Start
You only get one chance to start.
True or false?
I’ll be an economist for a minute and argue both sides.
Situations where it’s true…
– the first 30 days you’re married
– your first quarter or semester in college
– your first 90 days in a new job
– when you move into a new school, apartment or neighborhood
– when you have a new baby
– when you start a venture
There’s high consequence here. We form habits quickly….some say in three weeks or less. Life habits we form early in marriage, study habits we form as freshmen, first impressions we make in a new job or neighborhood…well…it’s huge. I read once that people decide about us in the first 20 seconds of face-to-face contact, and a negative first impression requires 9 hours of interaction to reframe positively. And most people who start something have a limited amount of money, so getting it right at the start may mean survival.
On the other hand…
– People (at least some people) are forgiving and will give you another shot.
– Some people are forgetful and won’t remember you, so every time you meet them you get a ‘do-over’. (This could be something you might think about….or not.)
– You may blow this job, but unless you steal something or hit someone, you can probably find another one.
– You can start another business if this one doesn’t work. Most successful entrepreneurs have at least one failure in their past. Some have several.
– People start over with second, third and fourth marriages. Most wish they’d made the first one work.
Starting deserves our best efforts and our focused attention. Things don’t happen until we start. You can’t steer a parked car…there has to be movement.
In the start-up businesses I’ve been involved in, almost none ended up doing what was planned at the start. Almost all changed the product, market, pricing, or distribution strategy. A colleague in one of my businesses said “We made a thousand course corrections.” In another one, someone said “We overhauled the car while it was going down the highway at 90 miles per hour.”
But you have to start.
God shows up when you start.
I believe God’s blessing waits on the other side of surrender. The quicker you cast off the lines and sail out of port, the sooner you’ll start to see His hand. When you make your plans, do your best preparation, get the right people on the bus with you and get started, God shows up if you’ve surrendered the whole deal to Him. “Win, lose or draw, God. I’m giving it my best shot and trusting you for the outcome!” His “showing up” doesn’t guarantee success, but it does guarantee you won’t be alone.
W.H. Murray, in The Scottish Himalayan Expedition wrote…
“Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would not otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man would have dreamed would have come his way.”
And to those who are waiting to start, here’s the only poem I can quote by heart…
“On the Plains of Hesitation bleach the bones of countless millions who, at the Door of victory, sat down to wait, and waiting—died!”
Start.
Question: What have you been thinking about starting but haven’t? Is now your one chance to start? Let us know about it here.
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Responses (5)
Great post, Regi!
As you know this is really timely for me. There are so many forces aligned to keep us from starting, from taking the risk and engaging change. Most of those forces are in our own head.
Starting requires faith.
I love the plains of hesitation poem.
John
I just finished “The War of Art” which was inspirational for me. I think Steven Pressfield is as lost as an Easter egg in the tall grass on Monday morning, but he’s a smart guy with some useful insights. Clearly a man who has molded his faith to meet his needs vs. someone who’s molding Himself to the likeness of Jesus. Hope your vacation is going well!
Hi , yes I have been serving youth and the church now since 1995, I have recently(approx 1yr) been speaking at a Dept of Juvenile Justice Center, in one of our Counties in SC,started as a volunteer Probation in my home County.
I am now unemployed and have been considering becoming a full time speaker to youth groups.Not sure what to do ?
Terrific post Regi! I am at the start of a new beginning and appreciate the encouraging word that God will go with me as I lay it at his feet. It was also an interesting thought that the resources and friendships he has in store to assist us in the journey won’t be provided/revealed until you start. Sounds like faith. Thanks again!
Chad
Glad it helped.