In my youth, I earned spending money in the summer by picking strawberries and raspberries. How much I earned depended on the weight of berries I picked.
Most of the times, the rows I picked on were assigned and I had to take the next one available. When I did have the opportunity to choose, I would look for the one I could easily see the most fruit on. I figured that would enable me to add more weight to my basket for the same effort.
Looking for the best place to start didn’t always work in my favour. I often looked over with envy at the row beside me where it seemed plants had an abundance of hidden fruit.
The lesson I learned was to stop wasting time looking for something better. If I wanted to meet my goal, I had to just get started.
Many years later, this lesson still holds value – when I remember it. I shudder to think of the time I’ve wasted, looking for more advantageous starting places. How many projects have been abandoned because I didn’t find the perfect time or place to get going on them? How many opportunities lost?
On the other hand, when I have decided to put my mind to it and just do it, I’ve found unexpected hidden fruit along the way. These treasures would still be undiscovered if I’d waited for the elusive “perfect opportunity.”
I’ve taken a leap of faith into a few projects lately and can speak from experience. When looking for a place to start, it doesn’t get any better than right where you are.