James Lim tells high performers why they don't start their goals: not laziness, but fear of failure and high expectations. Delay embeds barriers that can last a lifetime. Take the first step now or live with regret.
Chapters
If you're driven by big goals and dreams and know you're capable of more, here's a harsh truth you won't want to hear. Life has moved faster than expected and you still haven't started that one deeply personal goal. The reality is you'll keep making excuses. It's odd because you're probably a high performer in other areas of your life and probably good at your job. Yet with this particular goal, it's like an invisible barrier is blocking you. Why? Because you care. But you care too much. You're not procrastinating because you're lazy. It's is the fear of losing something precious. Your dream. The problem with a meaningful goal is it feels like you have a lot to lose. You're so invested in the idea that failure seems unbearable. The fear of not meeting your own expectations, or worse, discovering you're not good enough paralyzes you like concrete setting. These barriers become harder and harder to break the longer you wait. They can potentially hold you back for life as they embed deeper and deeper into your mind. You must find a way to take that first step. Otherwise you will never find the fulfillment you seek.