The Incredible Power of Starting Something New

Beyond the Dashboard - Matt Caramenico

Is it familiarity that chains us?

The comfort of the known that makes us perpetually tread on the same paths?

In this month's issue (The inaugural issue), let's explore what's holding us back from experiencing the grandeur of new beginnings and how we can pivot from mere ideation or even decision into action.

Our attachment to habit is more profound than we think.

It's our morning coffee.

The same routes we take.

The same food at our favorite restaurants.

Or even the same job we've clung to for years.

Why do we trap ourselves in these repeating cycles when there's a world of possibilities out there?

The answer may lie in our fear of the unknown.

The fear of failure

Or the dread of appearing foolish in front of others.

Dickie Bush just mentioned this today:

We shield ourselves behind the guise of:

• Perfectionism

• Procrastination

• Being 'too busy’

Ironically, in trying to avoid potential failure, we set ourselves up for a bigger one – the failure to try.

Most people do the only thing that will guarantee failure. They never even try.

The paralysis that people experience in the face of new beginnings is crippling.

We have every good intention and even make the decision to take the first step… and then nothing.

Reality sets in…

We fall back on our old excuses

and the part of ourselves - that is so good at protecting our ego and keeping us from failure is setting us up for a world of hurt as we look back on what could have been.

We will regret our inaction. We will regret not taking that first step.

I'm not just saying this from experience; it's a cruel and well-studied phenomenon - https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/1995-05382-001  

Here's the truth: Perfection is not a prerequisite for starting;

It's a result of learning and improving over time.

When I started learning about SEO back in 2013, I quickly realized there weren't many ways to "practice" other than by doing.

Sure, you can find a page online, look at the URL and begin to fantasize about how you could make it better.

You can look at the backlink profile of a domain and envision a scenario where you might work with a competitor and begin to build out something similar.

You can run a page speed test and inspect how resources are being called in & utilized for site speed suggestions.

You can read books, blog posts, tweets, and articles until the cows come home, but without taking action and putting your research into practice… You never fully understand how those actions impact the site and really… never become an SEO.

As with any skill. The reps, the practice, and the focused work leads to mastery.

I saw this story on Quora that sums it up well… I'm not sure how to link to the response by Eric Scott. But I see he attributes it to this book by David Bayles and Ted Orland. https://www.amazon.com/Art-Fear-Observations-Rewards-Artmaking/dp/0961454733

"A pottery teacher split her class into two halves.

To the first half she said, "You will spend the semester studying pottery, planning, designing, and creating your perfect pot. At the end of the semester, there will be a competition to see whose pot is the best".

To the other half she said, "You will spend your semester making lots of pots. Your grade will be based on the number of completed pots you finish. At the end of the semester, you'll also have the opportunity to enter your best pot into a competition."

The first half of the class threw themselves into their research, planning, and design. Then they set about creating their one, perfect pot for the competition.

The second half of the class immediately grabbed fistfuls of clay and started churning out pots. They made big ones, small ones, simple ones, and intricate ones. Their muscles ached for weeks as they gained the strength needed to throw so many pots.

At the end of class, both halves were invited to enter their most perfect pot into the competition. Once the votes were counted, all of the best pots came from the students that were tasked with quantity. The practice they gained made them significantly better potters than the planners on a quest for a single, perfect pot.

In life, the best way to learn a skill, is to make a lot of pots.

Quantity led to quality. The more 'pots' we create, the better we get."

So, how can we break free from our self-imposed shackles and start something new?

The key lies in realizing that starting is a skill.

One that can be honed with time.

Just like with the pots, you have to put the reps in.

If you say you can't do something, shift your perspective and say, 'It's not if, but when.' Adopt a growth mindset and accept that failure is an integral part of learning and growing.

Stop waiting for the perfect moment.

Remember the Chinese proverb, "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

Just begin.

Go at your own pace and celebrate the small wins along the way. Tie your tasks to a bigger goal that excites you, set challenges for yourself, and reward your progress.

For me, I've set some pretty lofty goals.

• Replace income of $250k annually by 1/1/2025.

• Erin (Mrs. Caramenico) can work as much or as little as she wants

• Schooling for Roman will be a decision based on his needs, not what is financially convenient.

When I need a reminder of my "why" -

I run through those goals.

They are bigger than myself. They have depth and detail to them that paints a picture of what freedom means to me right now.

Financial freedom.

• Free from a single source of income

• Free from trading our time for money

• Free from being locked into a single location

• Free from the stress that comes from limited access to money

So what's at stake if we don't confront this problem?

We miss out on a world of opportunity - to be more confident, creative, curious; to have improved focus and expanded social circles.

On the other hand, imagine the power that starting something new unleashes. It could be a new hobby, a new routine, or even a new job in a new city. It could be the ignition point that changes your entire life for the better.

In essence, the time to act is now. Let's focus on the journey rather than the finish line.

Let's be doers and not just dreamers.

Let's turn our ideas into action.

"One average idea put into action is far more valuable than 20 genius ideas that are being saved." - Skip Prichard

Ready to start something new?

Join me as I build - Beyond the Dashboard, and share what's on my mind.

Best,

Matt Caramenico

This past week:

• Had the second punctured tire on my GX460 ~1-2 months. Thankfully this one is safe to run on, and I've been nursing it since traveling to PA. Bought a handheld inflator from Ryobi to keep it loaded. It works like a dream:

• Shopped for some replacements at Costco since they have a great warranty program on tires. I think we're gonna go with the Michelin LTX M/S2 I've got some Goodyear Wranglers on it from when I bought it but we're going with something a bit more economical this round.

  • At some point I'll get around to doing the chrome delete, grill update, and add some https://www.falkentire.com/wildpeak/at3w on with https://www.nomadwheels.com/collections/wheels if they ever get some in stock.

Cool Cars:

I'm still not sure how I feel about the twin-turbo 3.4L v6. I believe it's the same engine as what the tundra has now and I think the verdict is still out on longevity. To me, that is most of the allure of the Land Cruiser, Prado, GX, LX line. The ability to go anywhere and do so well after 200,300 thousand miles. We will see what happens. Regardless, first impressions from a visual perspective - It's looking pretty dang good.