Is this thing on?
Photo by Zack Vayda
Recently I rented a Ford Fusion Hybrid.
It has both a gasoline engine and a battery.
The sales girl told me there was no key. “Just press the Start button,” she said and walked away.
I pressed the Start button. And I waited. A few lights came on, but nothing happened.
Is this thing on?
I had no idea. I’ve been driving for 40 years, and yet I couldn’t even get this car moving?! It was embarrassing and frustrating.
Now what?
Finally I flagged down another sales guy and he said, “You’re already started! You just can’t hear it because you’re using the electric battery and not the gas engine. Just put it in Drive and you’ll go.”
I did and, sure enough, we began moving. It was weird to hear absolute silence, and yet we were accelerating. This was nothing like the gas engines I grew up with. Eventually I got used to it, and I saved money in gas too.
I thought 2018 was gonna be a new start.
I made a plan. I've begun several big projects. Ones that were designed to be life-altering. I've been working very hard. But it’s getting discouraging. I pressed Start…but nothing seems to be happening. If I could just get going! But here it is March...I've been working my tail off...and nothing seems to be happening any differently.
Is this thing on?
Now, maybe I'm having doubts. Can I really make a change this big at this stage of my life? Did I make a mistake?
Here's what I'm trying to do.
Just like me driving that Fusion, I'm keeping a few things in mind:
Photo by Zack Vayda
- To begin, I probably won’t hear or see anything different. That’s frustrating. Also normal.
- I wonder if anything’s happening. It is. Just not like the old way.
- Am I moving at all? Even a little bit? Then it’s working.
- Trust the process. Trust the decision. Trust the power.
- It feels weird and unnatural. And that is exactly the proof that it’s working.
Is this you?
Are you trying new, big, scary things?
I'll tell you what I keep telling myself.
You pressed the Start button. It IS on.
Don’t stop. Don’t give up.