How much time do we spend skimming the surface of our days, telling ourselves things will be better once life slows down? That we’ll be happy as soon as we have a little more time to figure things out? That once we get enough money or enough sleep or enough sunshine or the perfect system, or that advanced degree, or the better job— then. Then our lives will really begin?
The truth is— we can’t wait for the perfect time, or the most favorable conditions or the sunniest day to begin creating the life we want to live. Not because those perfect moments are few and far between. Much worse than that actually: They don’t exist.
And on a deep level– we know this. When we’re not quite so mired down in the inconsequential details of our daily grind, we get it. We understand that even though we say we’re waiting for the perfect time— we’re really just a little too afraid to begin whatever hard work a meaningful life demands. We see that we’re choosing comfort over fulfillment. And for now, that might be okay with us. We have plenty of time. We’ll get around to it later.
Except, as Steven Pressfield wrote, “Procrastination is the most common manifestation of Resistance because it’s the easiest to rationalize. We don’t tell ourselves, ‘I’m never going to write my symphony.’ Instead we say, ‘I am going to write my symphony; I’m just going to start tomorrow.’”
And tomorrow becomes next week. And next week becomes next year. Because there’s always some obstacle to overcome first. Some issue we must resolve. Some storm that must pass before we can get down to work.
But the thing I’m learning is this: These obstacles are our lives. “Good enough” for right now isn’t actually good enough. And every day, with every step, in every moment we’re crafting one of two things: Our symphony, or our perfect justification for an un-lived life.