Hesitation, the action of pausing, a moment of doubt.
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.
Concerning all acts of initiative and creativity 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 never otherwise have occurred.
A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in ones favour all manner of assistance, which man would have never have dreamt could come his way”.
W.H Marry
That one moment
You have researched, you have consulted, you are 100% clear on what needs to be done for your life to shape into the one you dream of.
The image is crystal clear in your mind and you have spent time planning, thinking, sourcing opinions, looking at it from multiple perspectives. Yet here you are, still hanging out on the threshold of hesitation. In fact, you have set up a semi-permanent camp, shaped a neat little garden, not too large because it’s temporary, you know, while watching your dreams fade around you like distant stars.
Why are you waiting? What are you waiting for? Who are you waiting for?
It’s that moment, that one moment of hesitation that if left to linger will anchor you on the threshold of fear. The same one you should be leaping over with wings of faith if you want to live your greatest life. If you listen carefully it’s that voice, that inner editor, the troll under the bridge that first starts whispering those fear-filled words in the stillness of the night, and slowly, if left unchecked that same troll starts screaming out all the reasons you should not take the leap.
The inner troll
Deliberate choices
What you choose to do in that moment is what defines the critical next steps. Slowly, one deliberate decision at a time, one chosen word, one step at a time, your future is being crafted, deliberately, consciously.
Do not surrender to hesitation. Do not become the yielding slave to that moment, surrendering to the troll. The troll is under the bridge for a reason. It is too damn afraid to get up onto the bridge of life and live triumphantly. So embrace the troll and give it a little love. Tell it (I have named mine) that you have heard the words of warning, that you know its primary aim is to keep you safe and that you are grateful. Then firmly tell it that you choose not to remain safe. Your desire is to be happy and fulfilled, living the life you were born to live.
Often, this softens the angry troll. Are you wondering why? Ask yourself how it feels when you are ignored versus how it feels when you are heard? The same goes for your inner troll – being ignored is the worse thing you can do to it.
Let’s dance
Yes, mistakes will be made. That is simply life. You cannot hide from the essence of being alive, living with gusto, filled with excitement and enthusiasm while playing it safe. If hiding truly kept you safe, even if not happy, then maybe it could be worth a moment’s thought. This is definitely not the case though and hence learning from your mistakes quickly and moving on swiftly, without hesitation, allows the magic to unfold.
I am not proposing you take undue risks. I am inviting you to live your greatest life, grabbing onto all that is possible, tasting the very heart of living and dancing at the centre of all life has to offer. This dance I am inviting you to has no step called “hesitation”.
Come join me on the dancefloor of life. Let’s celebrate all that opens up as we take those deliberate steps far, far away from the troll under the bridge.
“A moment of hesitation may cause a lifetime of regrets” – Ernest Hemingway