Yes, it’s nice to have your ducks in a row, your I’s dotted, and your T’s crossed.
Such precautions are often necessary, frequently shrewd, and usually wise.
The problem is too many of us use these idioms as crutches.
For everyone’s who waiting to act because it’s the smart play…
There are hundreds or thousands more who are waiting because it’s comfortable.
And who can blame them?
Why take action when “standing still” feels like a soft bed covered in puppies and feather pillows?
Many of us are so afraid to take action…
To step outside our precious comfort zones…
We miss out on golden opportunities.
And years ago, I almost missed out on a huge one.
The Email That Would Change My Life
As many of you know, I used to work for the great Jon Morrow of Smart Blogger.
I was the Editor-in-Chief and Chief Marketing Officer for 5+ years, but I was also the head of two departments: Marketing and Lead Generation.
But, I’d wager that most of you don’t know how I got there.
Not quite a decade ago, I had a day job I hated.
“Blogging” was a hobby I did on the side…
One I dreamed about doing for a living.
And back then, if you were a blogger with a dream, getting published on an insanely-popular website like Smart Blogger (which was called “Boost Blog Traffic” at the time) was huge.
A guest post on Smart Blogger would get your content showcased to tens of thousands of new readers.
It could jumpstart your blogging career.
And best of all?
You didn’t have to know a secret handshake or password to get the opportunity.
You didn’t have to be one of Jon’s students…
You didn’t have to agree to wash and wax Glen Long’s (the Managing Editor at the time) car…
No, you just needed a good idea.
If Glen liked your pitch, you were given a shot.
And if you had the dedication and resolve to write and edit until it was perfect, your post would be published alongside the works of Brian Dean, Pamela Wilson, Henneke Duistermaat, and other elites.
There was just one problem…
You had to take action.
I was afraid to do that, and it almost cost me.
You see, “write for Smart Blogger” had been on my to-do list for quite some time.
But I never acted on it. I never sat down and thought of ideas to pitch to Glen and Jon.
“My blog needs to grow a bit first,” I told myself.
“I need a few more articles under my belt,” I reasoned.
“I should do some guest posts for smaller sites first,” I rationalized.
I kept telling myself “next year.”
Next year, I would be ready.
Next year, my following would be big enough to impress Jon.
Next year, I would email my ideas to Glen.
As long-time readers know, Glen disrupted “my plan” by reaching out and inviting me to write for them.
I’m so glad he did, because if he hadn’t…
I would’ve never written that first guest post for Smart Blogger.
And I certainly wouldn’t have written the since-retitled “Ultimate Guide to Writing Comments That Open Doors with Popular Bloggers” a few months later, or any of the other Smart Blogger guest posts to follow.
Those posts set in motion a series of events I couldn’t have predicted at the time.
And ultimately, they led to Jon hiring me.
But here’s the thing…
I came this close to none of it happening.
Shortly after my first guest post for them, Smart Blogger closed its doors to new writers.
If Glen hadn’t reached out to me, everything that transpired…
- The first guest post that impressed Jon
- The second post that broke Smart Blogger’s record for most blog comments
- Syed Balkhi of OptinMonster seeing my posts, liking them, and inviting me to work with him
- Jon deciding to hire me
…wouldn’t have happened.
Left to my own devices…
I would’ve spent a year or more getting all my ducks in a row.
I would’ve been dotting all my I’s and crossing all my T’s. I would’ve been working on my craft until I felt I was “ready” to write for Smart Blogger.
And then on some random, cold December day, I would’ve woken up and said, “Today’s the day… now I’m ready.”
But it would’ve been too late.
The doors would’ve been closed.
The opportunity would’ve been gone.
Stop Waiting for an Email to Change Your Life
Kevin from 2014 was lucky.
The odds are extremely slim that a life-changing email is headed your way.
That thing you keep putting off?
Stop it.
Stop putting it off. Stop assuming it will be there tomorrow, next month, or next year.
None of us knows what tomorrow may bring.
Today could be your last chance to ask out that perfect girl. It could be your last opportunity to bring that great idea of yours to life. It could be the final moment before your beacon of light flips the off switch.
It’s Time to Take Action
It’s time to be bold and do that thing you’ve been longing to do.
In short:
It’s time to stop waiting for magical emails to change your life.
You can do it.
I know you can.
And I’m rooting for you.
Talk to you next week.
