Last semester, I began working full-time as a teacher. I filled in from August to December for a teacher on maternity leave. It was a tremendous learning experience for me.
(Photo Credit: b_lumenkraft on Creative Commons)
My education wasn’t limited to what I learned as a teacher, but I also developed as a person and adult. After I thought about my new opportunity back in August, I realized this job was going to cost me my most important asset when it came to doing other things that I loved: time.
Obviously, there is the time required for school hours, but I also knew in advance how much EXTRA time is put in by teachers, especially those who want to do well (which I did). I realized I would be getting up early to get to school and staying late afterward to prepare for the following day. As my employment drew closer, I worried that I would have to completely give up pursuing a writing career.
One thought that continued to stick out in my mind was something I had heard from Jon Acuff: if you’re not willing to get up at 5am to do it, then it might not be your dream. I do love writing, and I knew that I would off balance if I couldn’t write. So, I set out to do what any reasonable person would do: I set my alarm for 4:45.
I remember thinking how hard it was going to be when I was planning this all out. I’m going to be so tired, I thought. Or, I don’t know if I can do this all semester.
After five consecutive months of getting up early everyday to hustle on my dream, I began to understand the secret to doing anything:
You just do it.
I was reflecting back over my tenure at this school, and I was amazed at how easy it was to fulfill this commitment. The only way I was able to do so was by doing it. I didn’t think long and hard about it. I just did it.
From now on, I’m going to try and remember this little tidbit when I’m faced with a challenge. How do you do anything? You just do it. (TWEET THAT)
Question: Has the principle of “just do it” helped you in your life? Feel free to answer in the comments below.
