“Starting” is where our thoughts turn into ideas. Energy creates movement, its channeled in a direction and Voila! We are off to the races.

I find that starting little things is easy. Bigger things, not so much.

Starting is the first step on the journey towards doing something. Starting something takes guts. It takes vision. Our brains tell us it’s too risky, it’s too early (or late), too difficult, or maybe it’s just 2:30! Those little voices in our head can often psyche us out of “starting” anything at all.

I recently picked up a little book I’ve had for years. It’s written by Seth Godin, and explores the many ways in which we tend to avoid starting, the limiting effects that has on our thought process and how to fight back against what he calls “the lizard brain”. Seth is brilliant. His book, Poke the Box, is a timeless read in my view.

Beyond “starting”, another key message Seth emphasizes is the idea of “shipping”. Seth uses this term to convey the urgency in not only creating goods & services that add value but also in getting them out to market with a sense of urgency. The premise is that a lot of GREAT ideas, products or services never get shipped because we often associate action with risk.  We get lost in the details or lack the courage to even take the first step. This concept correlates to the sense of urgency I have gained leading teams in the hospitality business. I've often shared that "Lunch starts at 11 whether we’re ready or not, so we might as well plan on being ready"! The idea that we need to SHIP, with a sense of urgency, has stuck with me for many years.

Fighting back against my own lizard brain I’ve STARTED a business plan, an outreach platform for a 501c3, and a hospitality consultancy model. SHIPPING is now a work-in-progress and when I get stuck, I’m going to revisit the concept of "START and SHIP". 😊

Have any further thoughts or ideas on this topic? Use the contact link above to message me directly and don't forget to poke the box!  Thanks!