How to Start Anything: The Beginner’s Manifesto

08 Aug How to Start Anything: The Beginner’s Manifesto

“There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth…not going all the way, and not starting.”

– Buddha

The Power of the Start

Yesterday I spent much of the day being inspired – by many of you.

I read through countless Reader Spotlight submissions, and was blown away by what you all are doing…

Donating to a different charity every week for a year with your daughter (and getting others to do the same), encouraging 100,000 people to become organ donors, hitchhiking the country to help introverts find success, an ex-lawyer helping other lawyers find their true path, moving to Japan to fullfil a childhood dream of becoming a ninja (I mean what guy can’t appreciate that??), creating a concierge doctor service for solo-entrepreneurs and helping teen mom’s realize their potential. The list goes on…

Wow.

I can’t wait to feature a group of you in the next few weeks!

Oh and the winners of the $100 investment & coaching session go to:

1. Opiyo from Kenya who started a girls high school to mold future achievers – I have a feeling you’ll put the $100 to good use!

2. Cory from Durham, North Carolina who has started the first virtual doctor’s office and health adviser specifically for entrepreneurs and business nomads – I’m excited for our coaching call to see how I can help!

I wish we could have had more ‘official’ winners (Opiyo and Cory keep an eye out for an email from me soon), and we’ll have more next month, but seriously thank you all for your inspiring submissions, and more importantly for living your legends! That is what brings this community, and the world, to a whole new level.

So, I noticed something in reading all your stories…

All these people had one simple thing in common.

They started.

And that is what sets so many dreams from reality. So many ideas from actually breathing life and helping people in a way on they can.

You either start or you don’t.

This also happened to be the #1 lesson you all shared with me last week (from our ‘business lesson learned the hard way’).

In fact, nothing is more powerful.

So I think it’s appropriate that we give the most important action of all, the respect it deserves.

May this help you continue to take the only step that actually matters – the one right in front of you.

The Beginner’s Manifesto:

1. The hardest step is the first one.
2. It’s also the smallest, and often the simplest.
3. Momentum is more powerful that we realize. But the snowball won’t roll unless you give the first push.
4. It’s hard to start, but it’s even harder to stop once we’ve started.
5. Start something small every day. Watch them pile up.
6. Choosing not to start is choosing to fail.
7. Find a reason that makes it worth it.
8. What will happen if you don’t begin? What might you miss?
9. Make the first step so small it’d be impossible not to take.
10. The only thing standing between dreaming and beginning, is you.
11. Start first. Think later.
12. If you don’t start, nothing else matters.
13. Most of the fear comes from anticipating the start.
14. Most of the fear disappears once you begin.
15. Don’t leave the sight of an idea without doing one thing to get it closer to reality.
16. Say no to something that doesn’t matter, so you can start one thing that does.
17. Possibility cannot live until you begin.
18. If you don’t start, you can’t finish.
19. Starting is what builds a bridge, creates a business, loses 100 pounds, writes a best-seller. Starting does it all.
20. Starting is what changes the world. It’s the only thing that ever has.
21. Everything starts by starting. When is now a good time?

It all comes back to that first step.

It is our responsibility to take it. To see what’s possible when we decide to stop dreaming and start doing.

The world tries to talk ourselves out of it. Stop listening.

Starting can be anything. Making a phone call, scheduling a meeting, sketching a design, running a mile or walking around the block, reading the first page or writing the first sentence, saying “yes” or saying “I quit”.

Take five minutes to start something right now.

Imagine what it could become.

The world will thank you. So will you.

This post is short for a reason – I want the focus to be on us all taking action, not passively reading. Share in the comments one way you can make the smallest start to something meaningful today.

Here’s to the beginning,

-Scott

Live LYL Event in San Francisco – Join Us!

My start today is announcing our first ever LYL Live in-person event in San Francisco. Our theme will be Possibility, Responsibility and yes, Starting. I’d love to have you attend. This is the first of many steps to bring our community together on a whole new level and I cannot wait!

The event will be free to you all (donation optional), but remember we can only accommodate about 100 people, and a lot of those tickets are already booked. You can reserve your spot here.

You don’t live around San Francisco? You can still meet up!

I’d love to see some satelite meetups happen in other places around the world on the same day – how cool would that be?! If you’re up for hosting one, no matter how small or simple, please share in the comments. I was inspired by those of you who offered a few weeks ago. Now’s your chance! If you would like to host, please leave a comment on our LYL Facebook page so we can see who else is interested around your area – I just opened up a comment on FB but feel free to start your own too.

Now, what are you going to start today? Tell us in the comments. 

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