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Note: This is a post from Adam Baker, founder of Man Vs. Debt.
At some point you have to fire.
Our modern world gives us remarkable security and comfort for very little effort.
Show up, clock in, keep your nose clean… and you’ll get by with a respectable life.
But at some point, you may want more.
You may want to go from good – to great.
It’s possible, you’ll just need to Fire.
There’s no perfect time to aggressively attack your debt.
There’s no perfect time to get rid of the crap that’s holding you back.
No perfect time to get married, have kids, or finally take that job you love.
Our modern world is built around keeping people aiming.
Aim, aim, aim, aim, aim…
Happy where you are? That’s fine. Aim away.
Want more?
Pull the damn trigger.
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Amen. Getting started is half the battle, so it’s important to take that first step and just DO IT. 🙂
Best blog title EVER…! 🙂
Whoo-hoo! 😉
p.s. “keep your nose clean…” lol
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I’ve always liked ‘Ready. Fire. Aim’ folks myself. 🙂
That was the original title/concept that led to the post – somehow Ready, Aim, Aim, Aim just ended up fitting better. 🙂
Just when I thought your blog was turning into a US-centric, smug, hard-sell… you post this, my favourite in a long time. Thanks! (from Dublin)
ROFL, backhanded compliment of the year. Thanks?
A friend and I wanted to walk to the store one day but I thought it was too far. He said…is from here to the corner far? Is from that corner to the next corner far? Needless to say, we walked to the store. If we look at something as a huge leap instead of smaller steps, we might procrastinate, or end up not doing it at all.
Like they say – if you don’t play in the game you’ll never win.
It’s kind of like the saying that the perfect is the enemy of the good. If you keep waiting for the “right” time, you’ll be waiting forever.
Couldn’t agree more!
Yeah, I’ll shout out an amen for that!
This is spot on. I feel that for most people, at the heart of this “perpetual ‘aiming'” is the idea that the life I really want to be living will happen “some time in the future” and at some point they’re going to take some action to get there. This is because people spend their time cringing or seething or basking in their memories of the past or fretting about the future — or living in the fantasy world that “things suck now, but they will somehow magically be different in the future.” In short they’re waiting for Prince Charming to show up; or their Ship to Come In … they’re expecting Ed McMahon to show up with his cheesy shit-eatin’ grin and a check for 10 million bucks!
Learning from the past is important. Setting goals for the future is essential for success. But living in the Present is ultimately all that is REAL and matters. Your “future” is simply the aggregate of a lifetime of “nows”; and the quality of that future depends on the quality of this moment you’re experiencing NOW. Live in the Present! Live this moment to the fullest and take action now. Also, be happy now; if you can’t develop the habit of being happy now, contrary to what you may think or hope, you won’t be happy in the future either.
Be Present. Expect Success! Live with Passion!
I love Seth Godin’s concept of thrashing early and then launching at a pre-defined date. No excuses.
Yeah, “ship it”. 🙂
very well said, you likely inspired a lot of people with these words. well, you did me at least.
I had a goal for launching an e-book. I kept putting off getting started. I researched and researched and researched some more. Finally I instituted a challenge on my blog that made it necessary to begin. And now I have to make continuous progress. And the book will launch in mid-March. Ready, aim, aim, …FIRE!
Bernice
I am starting a similar journey myself… not to the fire point yet but I can see myself stalling in the aim, aim, aim state for too long. I can’t wait to see how your ebook turns out.
I’ve worked with a team of 4 people to get an e-book and softcover out there. Just by having the partners to report to gave us the push to get the job done. Plus we had weekly meetings with expectations on each participants list of to-dos.
Great post! Thanks for the reminder to act without delay!
Personal or Motivational? Either way good way to start the morning. Thanks for the positive energy 🙂
LOL, that’s precisely what I had on my mind this morning. After a lifetime of waiting for conditions to be perfect I was just thinking to myself that it’s better to just jump in there and get stuff done!
Must be the law of attraction at work 😉
I just wish I knew what to aim at.
Steph, you’re not alone. I’m aiming at finding what I’m aiming at, at least for now!
Cool post, Baker!
Your site is inspiring me to take Hedge Honcho in a different direction. Thanks for always making my head think away from the norm.
Baker, is that the inside of a paper towel roll? The post is awesome–short. Sweet. To the point. Well done, sir. I’ve struggled with this concept in the past–always getting ready to get ready… That’s no way to succeed in anything.
Great work baker – I notice this when I’m hunting as well. Usually you know how it will end, but for newbies like me, it always seems difficult to pull the trigger at first.
Baker, if you ever have any doubt that you’ve made it, consider this:
When your readers feel that any one of your posts is directed specifically toward them, or that the post has “perfect timing,” you know you’re doing something right.
BTW, I echo everyone else regarding the title. You could have used that title and the first sentence of the post, and it would have had just as much impact. Well played!
Simply amazing post.
That is absolutely brilliant! Thank you for the much needed inspiration today. It’s been a “procrastination morning” and just this simple post got my creative mojo going. Thank you, Baker!
Awesome post. Inspiring. Makes me really hate the procrastinator in me and I hope I can get away from it all together. I can read everything online from every successful person in the world, but it means nothing if I don’t create some action. This is a kick in the ass to get moving and do some good in this world. And I think if my girlfriend read this she’d say, “Seeeeee… propose already!!”
Love, love, LOVE this.
Wondering if it would be seen as an insult if I sent this to a few people via email….
Naaa…send it.
So many people take the time to write down goals, but then don’t take the right actions.
Nothing happens until you take action.
I’ll bet Seth Godin’s gonna steal this post for his blog. You’ve been hanging out around him a bit, haven’t you?
Yep, we need to ship.
Thanks for the reminder Baker. You’ve definitely fired. Now it’s my turn.
I did it! I fly to London tomorrow night, to spend the rest of the year in Europe (or wherever I feel drawn to). March 10th I’ll spend 4-5 weeks in southern Umbria, Italy. Hopefully spend another 2-1/2 months not far from there, then Limerick, Ireland for at least a month. After that, no set plans. Woohoo! I pulled the goddamn trigger.
WOW! That’s really amazing. Are you going to let us know how it goes over there??
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What also drives me nuts is when people say they are going to “pray” about it first. That is usually code word for sitting on their ass……
My old boss told me when I told her I was pregnant, it’s never the right time, but you’ll see it’s always the perfect time. She shouldn’t have told me that, because it stuck with me…to the point that I quit and went off on my own!
reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:
“Do not assume that you have to have some prescribed conditions to do your best work. Do not wait. Do not wait for enough time or money to accomplish what you think you have in mind. Work with what you have right now. Work with the people around you right now. Work with the architecture you see around you right now. Do not wait for what you assume is the appropriate, stress-free environment in which to generate expression. Do not wait for maturity or insight or wisdom. Do not wait till you are sure that you know what you are doing. Do now wait until you have enough technique. What you do now, what you make of your present circumstances will determine the quality and scope of your future endeavors. And, at the same time, be patient.” Anne Bogart.
I find it offensive that you swear at the end of what was otherwise a really good post. Is that really necessary?
This post make me think of that book “less is more”.
Hi, I just came across your blog and I love it. My husband and I are on the same path, we’re saving money to quit our jobs and travel and I will pursue my dream of writing. Seven years ago we moved from Ohio to Oregon with $700 in our pockets. In the years since we married, bought a house, and got swept up in that whole ridiculous American Dream. Now, we’re finally chasing OUR dream. We’ve eliminated our debt and have saved almost $40K towards our ‘world travel fund.’ We don’t make a shitload of money but we have found a way to simplify and prioritize. I look forward to digging around on your site more. Saving money has become a bit of a passion of mine and I love reading others tips and tricks.
It’s always amazing to me how once I decide to jump and just do it then everything becomes easier. The right oppurtuinites, people, and paths will suddenly be in front of me. Even if things don’t turn out the way I thought I never regret doing it.
Thanks for the reminder. Now I have some more decisions to make:)
Although I’ve been following your blog for many, many months now, I wanted to give you a “congrats” on being interview for the article I just read on MSN Money about living without credit cards. Way to go!
Great post. Too many times people spend their lives dreaming and your encouragement to just do it is awesome. I did this a few weeks back. I started a website after many months of finding excuses not to do it. In the process of researching (procrastination), I found your blog and love your message. Keep up the great work.
Best post EVER…thank you and safe travels!
Absolutely – very inspirational, especially in today’s tricky climate.
This reminds me of a tattoo that a friend from college has. It’s the word “DECIDE” printed in big block letters on the top of her feet. So that she already remembers to move forward and not get caught up in waiting for the perfect moment. Thanks for the reminder Baker!
This seems to be the theme of my day! First I stumbled across your blog post about taking action, and then I found a Youtube video “Music and Life” by Alan Watts, talking about how we enter school, waiting, for high school, college, our jobs, lots of money… the list continues unless we take a second to reflect and enjoy where we are in life.
too true. i think i should go apply to the pile of companies i’ve been piling up in my draft emails so i can try get the weight of not having a job for summer off my mind.
by the way, the picture of you and your daughter at the top is beautiful.
SWEEEET! I Love it. Every time I fire and then aim, I’m so grateful I did it! Yeah, sometimes we stumble this way, but it’s still totally worth it. I love to live life with this philosophy. It makes life so exciting and adventurous, and it forces serious personal growth. FIRE away. REACH UPWARD!
Baker –
You hit the nail on the head. Sometimes, its just time to say fuck it and do it. No point standing around trying to aim forever. Just have to take the shot. Reminds me of the sentiment I am putting forth on my blog. Stop trying to plan a perfect life and just get busy living the one you have RIGHT NOW.
Congrats on Shut Up and Hustle, by the way 🙂
Great job with this. Are you going to be publishing a schedule of your itinerary. Would love to say hi if you stop by Southern California…
I don’t know if this helps, but there’s a schedule at https://manvsdebt.com/where-are-we/. There are some California stops on there!
Oh, very cool… thanks! I’ll keep an eye on where you’re at when you’re in LA toward the end of April. Would love to stop by to say hello.
Short, sweet, to the point and oh so TRUE!
I am at that point in my life, its time to shoot. Thanks for the post.
I couldn’t agree more. I’ll be aiming until April 2012, and then firing!
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That’s the kind of motivation I needed! and I like the ‘micro-posts’
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Fire away! But still you need to learn how to aim first that true.
In my opinion people are not even aiming to good. And forget about the firing. Give me an education, give me a job, give me a credit card. Then i will get the rest – house, car, and other meaningless stuff. Yeah life is easy, right?
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