It’s Okay To Be Just Starting Out

For many people, getting started can be the hardest part of the whole process. Far too often people get way ahead of themselves rather than just focusing on taking that first step in the Now.

A New Fitness Class

Last week I had the pleasure of trying out a new fitness class at the gym I go to. I had seen them post an advertisement for it the week prior, and after talking to the girl at the counter who was featured in the picture I decided to go ahead and get signed up.

When I showed up for the class, I was surprised to see that I was the only one there. I wasn’t even sure if the class was still scheduled, until I saw another woman walk up, and then eventually the instructor as well.

She was a younger girl, and before we got started she made it clear that she was “just starting out”.

The class went smooth. It was only 30 minutes long, and when we finished I felt good physically and glad that I had followed through.

But, the biggest takeaway was that there was something real about the fact that there was only 2 of us there.

Nothing glamorous and nothing over the top. But the girl still followed through with getting her class started, and myself and the other attendee followed through with showing up and giving her a try.

Yoga and Martial Arts

As much as it’s great to enjoy the things you are good at, sometimes it also feels good to do something you’re not good at.

This is something I’m reminded of every time I step onto a golf course. Take any regular person who has never played golf before and next thing you know they will be knocking balls in the wrong direction, tearing up the grass, swinging the club into the open air, and missing completely.

The same can be said for yoga or martial arts.

I remember the first time I tried yoga I was losing my balance every other minute, contorting myself into positions incorrectly, and sometimes just standing there idly because I couldn’t even begin to wrap my head around the pose the instructor was demonstrating.

The first few times I did jiu-jitsu I got swept up from underneath, pinned to the floor, and tapped out.

But, as counter-intuitive as it sounds, that’s partially what I came there for. It feels good to get out of your comfort zone and be humbled. It builds confidence and it builds character. Regardless of what the outcome looks like, people will respect you for going in there and giving things a try.

Entrepreneurship

In a world full of likes, followers, and view-counts, it’s understandable why some people are hesitant to get started.

But often, it’s the people with the least views early on that end up becoming the most successful in the long run.

I remember hearing an interview recently from Tyler, The Creator saying that when he first discovered his new artist they only had 6 views on YouTube.

On a documentary from another famous artist they showed old footage of him performing to a crowd of 2 people, and sitting to do an album-signing with practically no one there.

One of my favorite authors said that when he had first started hosting his own speaking events there was only one person that showed up.

The guy with six views, two attendees, and one audience member will always be better off than if they hadn’t started at all. And with consistency, those small starts can grow or lead to a more sustainable path.

Thank You For Reading

I hope you have enjoyed this article, and as always I want to give a big thank you for reading. Please feel free to check out my other content if you haven’t already, and have a great rest of your day.