I am really good at getting excited to do something. I'm not quite as good at actually doing it.
from Life from Scratch, by Melissa Ford
Ah, yes. The excitement of thinking up things to do.
I am REALLY good at that.
Right now, my list of exciting things to do is at least a mile long and growing. It starts out pretty big -sell all my houses and all my possessions and start completely over-and winds down into things as mundane as learn to cook fish fifteen different ways. In between are the more middle of the road items - write a book, start a chamber music group, get into an orchestra, volunteer in a hospital, take a yoga class, etc., etc., etc.,
Nobody ever accused me of not having dreams.
But when it comes right down to actually DOING something about these millions of ideas - well, there we have a different kettle of fish.
Part of the problem lies in the myriad of choices I've laid out for myself. Choices are my downfall, even when it comes to things as simple as where to go for dinner. There are always so many enticing possibilities, each one inviting in its own way. How do you choose? The risk of making the wrong choice soon becomes overwhelming. What if I end up wasting time and effort and money on something that doesn't pan out? Or that I'm not any good at doing? What if I choose the completely wrong thing and waste the opportunity to get started on the right thing?
Here's where all the "living in my head" business begins to impede my progress. In my head, I can invent a million interesting and exciting possibilities for the rest of my life. But also in my head, I can talk myself out of doing any of them.
For those of you who are making progress in getting on with life, how do you decide what to do next? Do you go on instinct? If it feels right, do it? Do you make the most practical choice? the one that requires the least effort? Or do you write everything down on scraps of paper and pull one out of a hat?
So tell me - I'd really like to know.
Because I've got this really long list, and I'd like to get on with it.