This is part of a continuing series of Ten Reasons Not to Have What You Want.

This reason is very closely related to I Don’t Have the Time

Perhaps you do feel like you could carve out a little time but you are mentally and or physically exhausted by the time you take care of everything and everyone else.

You know that feeling where you just want to fall on the couch, turn on some mindless TV or do something relaxing.

This is a good example of a catch-22 situation.  You may find that giving yourself a little time to work on something you love and something you know could make a difference in your life will actually give you energy.

It may take a while to create the habit to build your strength but it is possible to create momentum and energy if it is something you really want.

Often the hardest part is to get started.

Once you start, you may get absorbed in what you are doing and not even notice that you were tired.

Create an Environment to Help You Get Started

For example, I notice if I gather supplies or get my workspace ready for my project the night before; I can get started right away and not be distracted.

Maybe you can create a “kit” with everything you need that is easy and portable to work.

Or let’s say that you get easily distracted when you work.  What can help you focus?  Do you need to have the table or desk or work space cleared except for the things you need for the next step?

Set a Timer

You may have something that needs to get done but you keep putting it off.

Set the timer for 15 minutes to work on it.  This strategy can help you focus on a task and it can also help you to make a deal that you’ll spend 15 minutes or a half hour working on it.

Give Your Brain a Break

Another thing that can hamper your progress is spending too much time figuring out where you left off.

Leave yourself a note about what the next step will be.

That way you don’t waste a lot of time wondering what to do next and can jump right in, especially when you only have a little time to work.

Match the Task to Your Energy Level

Everything can be broken down into very small steps.  And depending on what you are doing, some of those steps take more energy than others.  So, why not do some of the easiest things that don’t take as much thinking when your energy is lowest.

Give it Away

Maybe you don’t have the energy because the task at hand drains you.

It could be you don’t know how to do it or you just don’t want to.

See if you can delegate the parts that drain you and work on the parts that excite you.

Regardless of what strategies you use, the most important part is making a decision that you want to make a change.

This is part of a continuing series of Ten Reasons Not to Have What You Want.

Time and money are probably the two top reasons why most people say they don’t have what they want.

You may feel a bit trapped with the busyness of every day life that keeps you from living the life of your dreams.

Maybe you have a full time job, kids, taking care of aging parents, or a whole myriad of things that fill the hours of your day.

Here is the truth, though.  If you Really want something, you can make the choice to find time.  You can choose to do at least one small thing a day to start building momentum.

You can look at what you are currently doing and eliminate something to give yourself a little extra time.

For example, let’s say you want to write but it is too hectic at home and you are constantly interrupted.  You could make a short “appointment” to go to a coffee shop, the library, the park or even in the car.

If you have research to do, maybe you can spend 15 minutes or a half hour of your lunch hour.

You can choose to skip watching a TV show and work on your dream instead.

It doesn’t mean there won’t be hard choices to make but the point is that you do have a choice.

You may not have the luxury of working on your dream full time but it doesn’t mean you have to wait until you have a big block of time.

Some people even find that they get more done with small bursts of focused time than when they have big blocks of time.

Basically you are making a commitment and creating a habit to work on something that will make a difference.

So the next time you say you don’t have the time, decide to make the time instead.

This article is a continuation in the series of 10 Reasons Not To Have What You Want.

The idea that No one has ever done it before might be a good thing.

It may be that you have such an original idea that no one else has ever thought of it before.  Great!  You may get to be the first.

It may also be that you just don’t know if someone else has tried what you want to do and didn’t follow through.

The biggest reason that this could be stopping you might be more that you don’t know what to do or how to do it since you can’t find any role models before you.

In that case, you get to make it up as you go along.  Who is to say there is a right way or a wrong way?

You may want to try brainstorming some different possibilities and approaches for your dream.

If you can, get at least one person, and even better yet a group, to help you explore possibilities.

Once you have narrowed down your ideas and choose the one that sounds the best to you, begin breaking things down and determining what your very next action could be.

You may need to do research or look at some other industries or areas to get information.

Be sure to keep a notebook or journal of things as they occur to you.  Start thinking about people that you may want to ask for help or that could direct you to some answers.

It may seem like a daunting task to be the trail blazer in an area but if you see it as an exciting adventure and you are willing to experiment, you’ll figure out a way.

Actually, those are good qualities to have regardless of your situation.  Allowing your curiosity to take hold and being open to what lies ahead will be more exciting than to look at it as a scary unknown.

Maybe you’ll go down in the history books as being the first one to figure it out!

This is continuing the conversation in the series “Ten Reasons NOT to have what you want”.

You feel like you have to do it alone and that no one understands what you want or even why.

It is hard to accomplish things by yourself. Why? Because it takes discipline and dedication. It takes hard work.

Sometimes you don’t feel like you are getting appreciation for a job well done. You may thrive on getting a pat on the back and recognition.

Often your own family or friends don’t really understand your dreams or why you want to do them.

In their eyes, they may be trying to protect you from getting hurt or disappointed, but instead make you feel like you aren’t good enough so don’t bother trying.

It’s easy to get swayed and distracted and pulled in a different direction when your dreams are fragile.

The solution is to find your own circle of support. If you can make it easier, why not?

It is easier when you make a commitment to show up to do your work. It is easier to have like minded people who can help you through your challenges and help you celebrate your successes.

The beauty of our interconnected world is that even if you live in the middle of nowhere, if you can find an internet or phone connection, you can find support.

Here are a few ideas:

Find a friend who is trying something of their own

Find a discussion group with an internet search

Take a class

Find a coach

Start a mastermind group

Find or start a meet-up group in your area

You don’t have to be alone. Support is just a click away.

The other night my husband and I decided to explore in our own town. We drove about 20 minutes south and felt like we were in the mountains. The curving roads were lined with pine trees and it felt like a mini-vacation.

We stopped at The Village at Castle Pines to see if there was a restaurant we’d like to try.

It was evening and most of the shops were closed. One of them caught my eye that looked intriguing called The Garden Path.

The sign still said open and we went in to have a look.

It turns out they really were closed but hadn’t changed the sign yet. We were about to leave but they were very nice and insisted we could look around.

It was a lovely floral and gift shop with beautiful things, and of course gorgeous flowers. One thing we noticed was there was an easel in the corner of the shop.

We asked the owner if she was the artist.

It turns out that the artist is a long time friend of the owners and when they moved their shop to a bigger space, she asked (or they asked her) if she would like to set up her art in the corner.

It is a wonderful win-win situation for the artist, Cheris Liedel, and the shop owner. Along with their beautiful flowers and gifts, they can offer her pastel paintings and cards.

It gives the artist exposure and a place to work. And she also helps them when they need an extra hand, like when they get a big order for corsages.

Is there a complimentary space or place that would be a great fit for your work?