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Just make this annoying thing go away.
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Just make this annoying thing go away.
There isn’t a single thing in this world that’s made better by starting tomorrow.
Everything you care about, everything you are about, needs to begin today or it may never happen.
If you don’t want to do it now, you clearly don’t want it bad enough.
Momentum comes from pushing, not from planning. Confidence comes from scars and risk, not from indecision.
Q: What is a five-minute action you can take today that will make tomorrow better? I don’t care if it’s cleaning your house or writing one paragraph. You’re going to do it now.
A: Drop everything right now, act on that for five minutes, and then come back and tell me what you did.
I am like your conscience, except I don’t accept bullshit. So I expect you to comment here today, or you clearly aren’t actually reading.
Do it now.
Filed by Julien at 10:08 pm under random
I help people lead more productive, awesome lives— one day at a time. This is my blog. If you like it, please subscribe below.
Ironically, the “also of interest” shows that “MUTEK starts tomorrow” :)
I’m off to the gym, for the first time in an eternity. Right now. I won’t be 5 minutes, but I’ll let you know how it goes.
Just wrote part of a major community announcement for our new social site for our customers.
Thanks. :)
Steve, Brendan, nice job guys. :)
Making a phone call I’ve put off making for two days.
Right now, I’m working on a translation I delayed too long. And I want to finish it today. Today, not tomorrow.
Right now, I set aside 5 minutes to finish a section of the e-book I’m working on. But really, I’m setting aside much longer than that – because many times once you get rolling on something you were dreading, you end up realizing it wasn’t half bad and just continue doing it.
Right – life is NOW! Thanks for the reminder. No excuse to keep running from what I always say is my dream. Go after it or keep running from it? JFDI – Just focus and do it!
I tested my best attempt so far at an apt self-descriptor with a group of trusted confidantes. May not seem like much, but the lack of a descriptor I was comfortable with has been my biggest hurdle in pursuing aggressively a new direction in my life.
This post just got me so pumped! I love the picture. It was on my schedule to do today, but I’ve been procrastinating. I’m off to do 30 snatch reps @ 135 pounds for time (Olympic lifting for those not in the know) I weigh 185 and 140#’s is the max weight I lift for this movement. It should take a bit over 5 minutes though. I’ll report back with my time…
Good job guys!
Simon I’m still waiting on you!
(In case you’re wondering, I’m working on the new book with Chris right now.)
Actually I started doing it before I read your post :)
.. Finding new blogs, reading their posts and commenting.
Going to publish some long awaited prose. Damnit…was hoping to put that off a little bit longer. :P
Since I started reading your articles I have been looking at my work differently and witnessing how much easier it becomes every time I make the hard choice to do what needs to be done, not tomorrow, but NOW. I look forward to the fun choices without guilt. They are right on the horizon.
Rosanna, you are the second person to tell me that today. Thank you, it means a lot.
Now what did you GET DONE???
Rick, if you’re interested I can help you a bit with that– I helped my sister and others lose 20+ pounds each. But I don’t want to be pushy, so no worries either way and good job. :)
Can you help with losing 20+ pounds. I just started drinking the first sip of drinking more water.
Started the diet this week. Continued today. Not next week, not next Monday, not “after the holidays”. Eating smaller portions, bringing leftovers from home, drinking water instead of Coke (okay, that was because I had no change, but still). Good call, Julien. Today’s the time – “I’ll do it later” means it’s just not important.
Ahahaha nice title man! Got that demo done at 4 am, woke up feeling like shit, got to work. I’m on my lunch break right now, tell me how you like it. I took your advice to heart because FUCK IT! It all starts now.
I’m going to have this done by my birthday (tomorrow), celebration of the Genesis of my life and my podcast right?
Thanks!
Got up off my rusty dusty and went for a walk around the work campus – thx Julien
I just posted a post on my blog that I’ve “almost” posted so many times but chickened out on every time for fear of who it will offend.
It’s about how the arts granting process could be changed in my sector. Not sizzling to most people, but for me it could be. :-)
You pushed me, Julien.
I set up a community page on Facebook titled: NO PASSPORT REQUIRED: Discover the World Around You! and sent invitation to everyone in my network. It’s an idea I’ve had for several month and did nothing with it.
Thanks!!!
I’ve started a 30-day experiment to become more responsible as a man. I may be 19, but I’m starting now (actually, I’ve already started) to become financially independent by the time I graduate college.
Just as I expected 20:34 LOL Snatch is my weakest O-lift.
Now back to writing copy and managing 14 blog sites. :O
Every O-lift is my weakest dude. :)
Thanks for this!! I just spent some quality time working on my copy for a program that I’m putting together! I’d been making excuses!
Julien,
LOL That’s okay, it’s a niche sport with an acquired taste. Like escargot (which I hate : )
My five minutes was bullet points for a program specification I’m pitching at the end of the week. Tiny details – but a first. Nervous as hell. Pitching anyway. :)
Filled out, and sent off a Commercial Listing Contract that has been on my list for . . . an undisclosed amount of time. Thanks for the prompt!
Oh, the other thing that helped. I needed a bathroom break, pretty bad-like, at the start of the 5 minutes. I made an additional rule that I couldn’t take my bathroom break until I finished the task.
Don’t worry, all ended well.
Alright…I’ll do my stupid screencast already! Just finished the script, now all I have to do is record it.
Sent email: Confirmed my interest in starting up a Latin reading group with one of my professors at school.
I made some revisions to an academic paper that I has been sitting in my inbox for 3 weeks. Now we can submit it to a journal. Took more than 5 minutes though…
Now I can move on to revising another paper that is much more interesting and likely to have greater impact.
Thanks for the push Julien!
I’ve been meaning to leave a serious comment on your Blog for months. I always say to myself, “Julien and I are close friends. I don’t want people to think that it’s nepotism or some such.” Well, those days are done. I am so impressed with both the frequency and quality of your posts (including this one). In a day and age where most people are abandoning their Blogs, you’re a ray of light/hope. Thanks for putting it out there and for the constant kick in the brain.
Mitch told me to read this bog so instead of bookmarking it for later, I’m doing it now.
Read you regularly. You’re right, you are like my concious – a lot of times uncomfortable to live with but usually right.
Kudos!
I shot the first episode of http://www.startupstreet.tv.
Been a long time reader of the blog, big fan of Media Hacks and just had to finally post a comment.
Cheers,
BFB
I started running. Tonight ran 2k, and am running the CIBC Run For The Cure on Oct 3 in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Always watched other people running and was envious, so I committed and now that others have made donations on my behalf, I’m IN! If you want to support me, that may be a first for someone else!! Here’s my personal Run page… http://bit.ly/9prRnS
Navel hair ball gone!
Well, I removed my navel hair ball yesterday, so I can’t count that. (Thanks Mike, for that bit of comic relief!)
In all seriousness, had just an inkling of an idea earlier this evening for something that could possibly become an ebook later or even a preso at SXSW. Took 5 minutes to start writing about it.
Thank you very fucking much, Julien, for making me do that. And you didn’t even have to twist my arm!
Damnit, I totally meant to comment on this yesterday. Sorry.
It took me five minutes to come up with that joke.
But seriously, I just spent some time coding a DVD label that’s part of a gift for someone.
Thanks for the shove. Nothing tonight. Tomorrow morning I’ll reread it, the I’ll make stuff happen.
Live the dream, Mike :)
I made up my mind to stop worrying about everything I need to do and just focus on the doing part.
Julien,
I’ve been lurking here for months. Finally jumping in. Thanks for the kick in the pants. I’ve been putting off a blog post on hearing vs. listening in social media. DONE. Posting tomorrow. Thank you.
Thanks, good did you just did, reminding me what is important.
Kids – need more than 5 min…Done
sports – need more than 5 min…Done
Time out – 5 min is just about what it takes …DONE !!
Good Night.
Great post. Joining the gym today to lose those pounds I was getting rid off tomorrow
i’m leaving to start my master of fine arts program tonight, so i’ve made tomorrow better for my fiance by really cleaning up the kitchen–and i’ve made tomorrow better by listing everything i’ll potentially need on my 9-day residency. awesome post, dude: boot camp for your brain. :D
I just finished and sent two long-put-off follow-up emails to potential clients. Thanks J!
Love it!
I love it – way to make us cut through the excuses that get in our way. :-)
I just wrote my top-level outline for my first ecourse (or ebook – haven’t decided which it’ll be just yet).
Hi Julien,
Man! that was a great wake-up call! Excellent post. Short, powerful and straight to the point.
Congrats man! you are definitely making a difference.
Cheers,
Ivan
Right now I am going to send an email to my teammates about something I would love to implement in our company related to my area of work. Thanks!
Made myself get up at 5am and did the things I can’t seem to make time for: pray, exercise, and a little housework.
@Julien – part of my “now” is counting the cost, including the getting healthy part. Starting with “eat less, do more” to make lifestyle change, with side benefit/goal of losing 100#. I have to look at it that way, rather than accountability to the goal and instead having zeal for the change that should then result in the target. Going around my elbow to get to my nose, but want this to “take” and be meaningful. Any help along those lines? :)
Guys, I am super proud of all of you. Keep it up!
@Rick — sorry, I got lost in the metaphors there. :) Email me if you want some pointers and cheers. :)
oh alright…
Oh boy do I want to talk to you about push and pull. You need the pull to inspire you to push… Hmmm.
Well, my task will take longer than five minutes because I am going to bed right now. How will this make tomorrow better? I will get the sleep I need so I can function at a more optimal level and get more things done. I’ve got this bad habit of staying up all hours of the night and then having to get up early because my kids don’t sleep in — and they don’t let me, either.
Well Julien, you’re a hard man. I cleaned out my dresser drawer before coming back here. It’s been needing to be done for a long time…that’s something that will make tomorrow better. I threw a bunch of junk away too. Yeah, took about five minutes.
My fingers are crossed that a solid RT also counted towards my proof of reading. Last thing I need is some sort of curse, nay, hex put on me by Julien.
I made myself a little more unemployable :)
I journaled out my problems and can finally see the answer on the horizon. Thank you for the push.
Just listed the action steps to start a cross country relocation – which we’ve been debating for weeks – which will happen 4 years from the first cross country relocation. Maybe back to the cold and humidity, but back to family, friends, and the vast pool of opportunities for this “bigger” fish…Thanks!
I finally changed the air filter on our furnace, something the entire family can appreciate without knowing it. But I did it just before reading this post, so it’s a bit like reading the new car ads for the model you just bought. I’m only replying because I want to echo what Mitch Joel wrote earlier; I missed your podcast in the beginning, but am getting much more value from reading your blog. Thank you Julien!
Started with more energy another day looking for a job! :)Other things planned for today, no more delaying.
Thank you Julien!
First time here, Julien! Love your blog, you pull out all the punches, lol! Which is good because we all need a kick in the ass now and then!
Finally went over to Hostgator to check out hosting for wordpress. Need to make the switchover from a WP.com.
Thanks for the push!
Bernice
http://bernicewood.wordpress.com/2010/08/17/life-one-step-at-a-time/
Hello – kept accidently going to your blog every time I was trying to go to the BBC website. So finally I started reading it. Pretty cool. Today I am going to clean my house, run 4 miles, then cook for a friend who is moving house tomorrow…..Thanks for the pep talk!
I got up and sorted out the huge pile of mail and papers stacked on the right of my desk. I always ignore them and then my boss starts yelling and I discover some invoice at the bottom of the pile which should have been paid 6 months ago… or he asks me for a contract and it hasn’t been filed because I haven’t got round to creating a file. I’ve organised and thrown out anything I don’t need… next I’m going to actually file things. I already feel better because I have a neater desk with more space! thank you…
My Mom tells me that my grandfather said to NEVER START ANYTHING NEW ON A MONDAY because there’s a bad monday in every month. HIS SOLUTION? To start things on Saturday afternoon so he’d still get to it on Monday. My Monday’s are all about continuing and finishing.
beautiful text.. I followed your advice. I started now!
im texting my dad for the first time in weeks
im arranging myself some extras work
thank you
I saw this site by mistake. But in a moment that I really needed to read everything you wrote here. I started right now… and it’s working…
congratulations from Brazil!
Its one in the morning so I’m not actually sure what to go out and get done. I came upon this site totally by accident so I’m taking this as my sign because once again whoever is looking out up there has made their presence known. These are words to live by JFDI… Just fucking do it
This is the moto I want to live by every day. I stumbled upon this today by mistake, and it looks like it was supposed to happen.
I took a year off of school after I graduated college, and lived it up the way a 19 year old should. Then I started college and met my absolute best friend and she took me to England that school year. So that was one check in the “always wanted to do” list. Since then, her and I have been going on multiple adventures and living as though we might die tomorrow.
Then reality hit me and told me I needed to finish up my degree to actually get anywhere in the world. Now I am stuck in school taking 12 credits, and working as a waitress 45 hours a week. There is no adventure at all right now and I am going stark-raving mad. I have planned a trip to Vegas next month, and a trip to New Orleans for Spring Break. But that might be changing to Costa Rica possibly…
Is there any way I can get more adventure right now as I work myself to death? I need it to feel alive, and I am feeling more and more like a zombie at the moment. Help?!?!
I keep saying tomorrow will be the day I start working out. I have kept putting it off for sooo long. So why not start today?
So when I get home after work, I am putting on my tennis shoes and my iPod and going for a run around my complex. And tomorrow I will do the same thing.
It’s time for change. And change starts today.
Thanks for the motivation!
Now I just relaxing, it is hollyday here.
I am checking tweets, reading this article, and thinking: Huauuu, I will have a family lunch soon: me, my wife and my doughter – yes this is a real success.
Thanks, you right, we need to act more in the right direction to do what we want and we need to do.
Nei Grando
It is funny, a very long time I say tomorrow I’ll do this or that. But it never happens, perhaps I don’t want to or it isn’t important to me. I hope things change in my life, but now and not tomorrow…
I wrote a draft of the sales copy for the IT training I’m developing.
Make reconnection with second potential client from last year on opening this morning. Tweeting about it, spread the word – just for the joy of it.
It started with five minutes and turned into four hours of productivity. I’ve officially finished and launched my website! (and plenty of other little things).
Not five minutes, but I have been delaying starting a pushup, situp, running regiment for a potential job. Didn’t do the running, but I will. I MUST. Thanks for the push.
I’ve officially started a blog for my eyes only, so that I may reflect on it when needed. It is a wish of mine that this helps me become a better person than I am today, but most importantly, that this creates my new momentum.
Stopped what i was doing to write that letter to my Grandfather that I’ve been meaning to do for week. Thanks for the lift, Julien.
I’m writing posts for my blog tonight. They’re in various states of editing right now but I’ll have 3 posts lined up to be published. I’m making it a point to work on it every day (even if it’s only a paragraph or 2). I’ll get them done. Thanks for the inspiration.
sent an email I’ve been putting off all week.
goodness knows i needed this reminder.
thanks :)
I’ve been putting my online schooling off because I got a new job. Problem is that my job doesn’t really relate to what I want to do for the rest of my life. It’ll be longer than 5 minutes but I’m hitting the books and taking control of my career as opposed to being tossed around like a row boat on the ocean.
Thanks for the push and if you think this is bullshit, push me harder.
Your post/words : comment/words ratio speaks, well, volumes.
Hey,
great and inspiring article.
I love the “do it now or never” mentality.
Greets from Berlin
Chris
Julien:
All my life I have known – “Wayne, your are absolutely awesome.” Hitherto I have allowed the voices of the world in to intrude on this sublime truth. I am going to go right now (not tomorrow) and proclaim my awesomeness in a blog post. It’ll take less than five minutes. Why have I put it off? Not wasting a second considering that useless question.
Thanks. Your conscsiouness rocks. So does mine.
Wayne
Julien,
What a great article! Many thanks for that aha moment! I stopped “working” and went to play with my daughter. Something I have been doing less and less of lately, but love to do.
Hope you have a wonderful day!
Julie
I decided to stop being indecisive about what I’m doing after college. I will be moving to Los Angeles from Boston. Thanks for this post, Julien.
Five-minute free-write, to unlock potential lyrics for band practice tomorrow.
(We’ve been stuck for two years: in the process of creating and “shipping” a full-length album, I’d forgotten my writing process. Kept reminding myself, “free-write for just five minutes and you’ll remember how to write.” Turns out it was true.)
Thanks for the push.
I wrote this blog post: http://100things100days.com/2011/09/13/day-63-go-write-a-blog-about-it-the-blog-as-marriage-therapy/
Thanks Julien! Now I’m going to bed.
I took 5 minutes to read about proper sleep cycles on the Internet, and am going to take a nap now. I’ve been neglecting it because of things I felt took priority. It will make tomorrow better.
I oiled my hair… Lol! I have been putting it off for a few days.
Cleaned my room some. Hell yeah.
interesting. i’m going to tweet this to the 19 friends that i have. yeah, it’s not much but at least I’m fucking doing something right?
I stopped eating the chocolate biscuit in order to start “eating healthier food habit”.
Starting to take more risks
Thank you
Just made 2 beats i like hip hop
This is the most persuasive article I’ve ever seen.
Finished an assignment due tomorrow, now I have time for other things
Kick me in the ass again – thx! I will(tonight) reinvent/re-develop my website to brand me and my business.
Just started writing again, working on a blog about reexamining the meaning of success.
Woke up feeling really low and stuck today. Linked to your blog from another and just went and read The Flinch. I feel like you just struck a match in a dark room. Thank you so much!
Just wrote a letter to my Dad I’ve been wanting to send and made my lunch for tomorrow. Just the push I need to get some momentum. HUGE THANKS!
leaving a reply. thanks mate
The five minutes turned into a three hours of productive work on an overdue project.
Awesome post, thanks! I am sharing it with friends.