Simple not easy

12/10/2021

‘Just take the first step.’ (Martin Luther King)

I was intrigued by a colleague who had cycled recently from Land’s End to John O’Groats, a gruelling distance from one tip of the UK to the other covering some 1000 miles (1600km). When I asked what he had learned about what it takes to achieve such a great feat, he responded with a wry grin, ‘Just keep pedalling.’ I smiled at his brilliance. All other considerations of fitness, equipment and logistics apart, he had captured the essence of the task – and the hard key to its success – in a nutshell.

This was a classic case of simple but not easy. When faced with some of life’s most difficult challenges – which could equally be, say, a broken relationship or an unfulfilled aspiration – the solution can stare us in the face yet feel agonisingly beyond our grasp. We may overcomplicate things, become gripped by paralysis-of-analysis or fear, lack the focus or determination to do what it takes, or create all kinds of self-defeating reasons to justify our inaction. Nike’s advice: Just do it!

Do you feel stuck? Curious to discover how I can help? Get in touch!

16 Comments

Mel Chew

12/10/2021 09:38:33 pm

‘Just take the first step’ … and keep going 😊

Nick Wright

13/10/2021 01:16:36 pm

Hi Mel. Yes - indeed..!

Ian Henderson

13/10/2021 01:16:08 pm

Wasn't it Chairman Mao who said the longest journey starts with the first (maybe small) step? When my wife and I go out for our daily walk when the weather isn't that great, putting on our shoes is sometimes the hardest thing to do.

13/10/2021 01:21:12 pm

Hi Ian. Yes, you reminded me that overcoming initial inertia often takes the greatest effort. For example, if I may change the metaphor for a moment, when pulling away from a standstill (all else being equal), it takes a lot more energy to get a car moving than to keep it moving...

13/10/2021 05:48:39 pm

Absolutely with you on that one Nick!

13/10/2021 05:49:11 pm

Definitely Ian. And even back a step further (pun intended) motivation to get out of bed and start the day! 😅

Absolutely spot on with the car analogy Nick 👌

Gregg Vanourek

14/10/2021 06:11:04 pm

Good points, Nick. I've seen the power of small wins, the power of starting, which can then eventually lead to taking massive action. Many big things in life are simple but not easy, as you say.

14/10/2021 06:12:02 pm

Thank you, Gregg. I'd love to hear more. Would you be willing to share some of the examples that you have seen?

Hannah Jenny Carr

15/10/2021 04:30:47 am

A short and simple piece of writing, but very thought-provoking. Don't give up, keep pedaling no matter what.

15/10/2021 09:47:27 am

Thank you, Hannah. Yes, I sometimes create a simple 4-quadrant framework with clients. It has 'can do' vs 'can't do' on one axis, and 'willing to do' vs 'not willing to do' on the other. It often proves interesting and revealing for clients to consider issues and potential actions against those simple criteria - and to discover that 'willing to do' (or not) if often the most significant factor.

Dunja Radosavljevic

22/10/2021 09:13:07 am

Just do it might not cut it when one is in the grips of fear or confusion as the action one takes will often be the wrong one and then one will have to deal with "failure" on top of needing more energy to backtrack and figure out where they went wrong. I have had much better results with myself and my clients by processing the fear that's causing inertia and telling the person its dangerous to move forward. When that emotions is processed, it's much easier to get connected to the right solution that the moment asks for.

22/10/2021 09:20:37 am

Hi Dunja and thank you for posing such an insightful and constructive challenge.

Yes, there are indeed situations in which 'stop' or 'pause' are the wisest courses of action. I think of this as a bit like traffic lights - working with a client to choose which colour and associated action is the best one and when.

An exploration of potential consequences can be one way of working with a client if they are convinced by or persist in a course of action we, as coach or consultant, believe is unwise, unethical or dangerous.

On this and related themes, you may find these short pieces interesting? I'd love to hear your comments!

https://www.nick-wright.com/blog/just-do-it
https://www.nick-wright.com/blog/wrong
https://www.nick-wright.com/blog/procrastination
https://www.nick-wright.com/blog/ambivalence

Nimish Desai

23/10/2021 06:39:05 am

I feel the biggest contributor to the inertia is OVER THINKING & OVER ANALYZING a situation or a challenge.

One must just take a plunge and see what happens (not like jumping in front of on coming train). For most of the challenges & situations we as human beings tend to lean more towards negative out comes rather than the positive one. As if nothing good can happen to us.

I just jump and then see what happens. I just quickly think of a worst case scenario and start working upwards from there on. And with GOD's Grace most of the time I have found myself standing on the right side.

23/10/2021 11:51:52 am

Hi Nimish. Thanks for posting such interesting reflections on your personal stance and approach. I loved your comment 'not like jumping in front of an oncoming train' because, for me, that marks out the difference between a considered choice (a step in faith, if you like) and a reckless action.

I think a number of the short pieces that I posted links to in my response to Dunja (above) may resonate with you. This short piece may do so too: https://www.nick-wright.com/blog/tactical-adaptive-leadership. It's based on some work I did with field-based humanitarian practitioners.

Averil Maher

27/10/2021 02:15:55 pm

I like that phrase - Simple not Easy. It's so true. I think one of the most useful tips to overcome inertia is to change state. In my case if I'm stuck in a mental loop, I get up and focus on something physical even for a short period of time. (I'll often pop out and pull a few weeds from the garden) In this case simple IS easy.:)

27/10/2021 02:18:38 pm

Thank you, Averil. Yes, it's one of my mentor's favourite phrases. I agree - yes indeed, I do something similar. If I'm getting stuck, I try to make a shift, often by doing something disruptive to my routine or physical exercise of some sort to break a pattern of overthinking.

Simple not easy

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