Get radically honest about where you are, before committing.

I was being interviewed on a podcast and the host asked me, "What is the best piece of advice you can give someone who is just getting started?"

My response, "Get radically honest about where you are, before committing."

I saw her quizzical look and began to expand.

I can get really excited about something and think it is the greatest idea, only to lose steam and motivation days into the "greatest idea". And then my "great idea" turns into another "failure".

There have been so many times I have over committed myself because I wanted to do the thing or help someone. But during those times when I over committed, I was short tempered, annoyed, and frustrated with every little thing not going exactly as I had planned.

I left no space or grace for the human and quickly gave up on the "great idea".

But when I get radically honest with myself before I commit to something, I actually get to enjoy the thing I've committed to.

For instance, when I committed to training for a half Ironman triathlon, I actually enjoyed the training. I didn’t have to force myself to do it, I didn’t feel guilty if a training session didn’t go according to plan and I leave plenty of time for my human or a human to interfere (since I am raising 4 of them, they are bound to "mess" up my perfect plan at some point).

This seems like it makes sense, but there have been so many times that I will simply react and commit to something without checking in with myself to see if I actually have the time and energy to give this thing my best. (And I refuse to just "half-ass" something).

Yes, it make take me a little longer to actually commit to something, but I know that when I say "Yes, I'm doing this!"- I will make it to the finish line (with a lot of space and grace for the human).