As we head towards new beginnings – new projects or businesses, people or places – we are getting ready to explore the unknown. The feeling of anticipation and uncertainty that follows can be confusing or even frightening for some people. Will my new boss like me? Will I fit in with the rest of the group? Will I be able to complete the project on time? Those questions have every right to exist when stepping into an unknown territory. Fortunately, you will be able to answer most of them if you’re familiar with a few simple facts. Consider them next time you’re starting something new – and you will be on your way to succeed in any future endeavor.
Beginnings are the most beautiful parts of… anything, really.
Remember the first time you fell in love – the butterflies, the sleepless nights… Think about how beautiful and exciting everything looked in the beginning. Well, let’s say you’ve spent the last 30 years with that person and the butterflies have been silent for quite some time now. What does it mean for you after 30 years? Do you regret you’re no longer there or are you thankful every moment you’ve spent together?
It doesn’t have to mean you’ve stopped loving. On the contrary, with time you might have found something more mature, more stable, and more beautiful in that person. A friendship you couldn’t have even imagined at the beginning. A lifetime-lasting adventure together. That’s why even though I am no longer a teenager thrilled by my first kiss, I look back on that time of my life with a smile and a feeling of joy and content.
As with love, this happens with everything else. We get excited in the beginning, but slowly, the excitement starts to fade away. Don’t let it startle you. It’s our choice where to go from there. If we give in to routine – we’re doomed to fail (just like most failed marriages). But if we find ways to treat each day as a new opportunity and a new, beautiful beginning – the possibilities are endless (ask my wife) 
When contemplating between playing it safe or betting it all – find a third option.
Most situations in life don’t require full and total sacrifice. You might be able to start that new thing of yours without losing the ground beneath your feet. Find an alternative that lets you keep a bit of what you have or what you know before taking your next step.
It’s easier to foresee failure. Don’t.
Once you’ve decided to take the plunge into new waters – in the first couple of days you’ll try to estimate how it all might turn out. If you’re starting to see all black – fear, failure, stress, etc. – don’t panic. It’s the good-ol’ human probability assessment: failure seems much more probable than success in the beginning. Fortunately for you, this is something very easy to overcome with persistence and practice. Keep doing your thing and shortly after your first success – as minor as it may be – you’ll have a real and substantial event to build upon.
Do you have an experience of a new beginning you’d like to share? I’d love to hear it in the comments.
Alex
