How to Know When the 'Right' Time is

Have you ever been paralyzed by the pursuit of perfect timing, but only letting opportunities slip through your fingers? Join me, Erin Olson, as I tackle the myth of perfect timing and explain the power of decisive action. In a quick and honest conversation, I'll share insights from my entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing that the legacies we dream of won't just fall into our laps—they must be chased with vigor and faith. If you're seeking a sign to jumpstart your ambitions, consider this episode your green light.

We'll explore how taking even the smallest step can set off a chain reaction, propelling you toward your goals like a snowball rolling downhill. I'll intertwine wisdom from scripture, referencing Psalms and James to demonstrate how faith is the bedrock of ambition, but it requires our action to fully bloom. Whether you're a seasoned business owner, someone poised for a career leap, or simply looking to enrich your personal life, this episode is an invitation to move from dreaming to doing. Subscribe and join me on this transformative journey—because your aspirations deserve more than just wishful thinking.

Thanks for listening! I'm glad you're here.

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See ya next week!
Erin

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:07

Welcome to the Quality of Life podcast. I'm Erin Olson, a wife, a mother and a serial entrepreneur. After starting three successful businesses, I've learned some hard lessons regarding the ins and the outs of starting and running a small business. My intention is to share my knowledge that I've learned from the School of Hard Knocks, so you don't have to learn it the hard way like I did Each week, I hope, to guide you to the next level in your business or in the business that you work in. So let's go. Hey guys, and welcome back to the Quality of Life podcast. Erin Olson here to help guide you from business idea to big business.

Speaker 1: 0:50

Today we are diving into a topic near and dear to my heart taking action. Have you ever found yourself just waiting and waiting for the perfect time to start something? Or maybe waiting on a sign that it is time to change something? Maybe it's a business idea, a career change or even a personal goal? Well, today I don't mean to break your heart or foil your plans, but I want to talk to you because there is no such thing as perfect timing. The key to gaining momentum in our lives is not the perfectly laid plan. It is by taking action, but before we get started, I want to remind you to hit that subscribe button so that you never miss an episode and if you like the podcast, please leave a review. Your feedback means the world to me All.

Speaker 1: 1:44

Right now let's get down to this week's topic. So why do we often find ourselves waiting to start something or to make a change? Well, it is completely normal to want things to line up perfectly before we take the leap. We want the stars to all align, all of the ducks in a row, or maybe we are waiting for some cosmic sign telling us to go. But here is the honest to goodness truth. Perfect timing is a myth. Life is always unscripted, messy and even a bit complicated. If we wait for the perfect moment, we might wait forever. There's this idea that I've heard, and I'm not exactly sure where I heard it, but it states that the wealthiest place on earth isn't a city, it's not a business or anything like that. It is the cemetery, because they are full of all of the great inventions, business ideas, works of art and books that people died with because the timing was never right to bring them to life. You all have something inside you that the world needs to see or hear.

Speaker 1: 2:53

So what happens when we take action instead of waiting? Action begets momentum. Think about a snowball rolling down a hill. I know this is very cliche, but seriously think about it. It starts out small, but as it rolls it picks up speed and size. Well, the same principle applies to our actions. When we take that first step, no matter how hard or how small it is, it sets things in motion. Then we start building up momentum towards our goal.

Speaker 1: 3:24

I know it can be so scary to take that first step, especially when we are stepping into the unknown. And this is where my faith picks up and carries me. I am a Christ follower and I believe that God has put those goals and dreams in my heart. And if God has given me those desires, then I know that he will bless my steps towards them. How do I know? I read and reread Psalm 37, 4, which says delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Now I believe that they are not going to just magically drop into our laps out of thin air. I believe that God wants you to prove that you have faith, that it can be yours. And how do we prove we trust him by taking action. There have been so many people over the years that talk about the power of positive thinking, and I believe in that, but most people tend to stop there thinking and visualizing the things they want in their lives. I believe this is essential to getting the life we want. But then if you just wait and wait, I think that that opportunity gets lost. Without taking action and moving towards those goals and desires, they are just dreams.

Speaker 1: 4:43

The Bible continues on this thought in James, chapter 2, verse 14 and 17. Verse 14 says what good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say to have faith but then don't show it by your actions? And then 17 says so. You see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now, if you're not a Christian, that is not an issue. Even when I wasn't 100% following and believing in God, these principles still rang true. I heard a quote today that says people are praying for the cake, but when the Almighty gives them eggs, oil, butter, batter, a pan and an oven, they get frustrated and leave the kitchen. Wesley Snipes is the one who's credited with that one. Gosh, I haven't heard that name in ages.

Speaker 1: 5:35

Anyways, the bottom line is you can't receive without action across all religions. So one thing that I have realized is that my fear is greatest before I take a step towards a dream or a goal and if I really look back, the more fear that I had, the bigger the reward on the other side of the action I took. Start looking back at some of the things that you waited and worried about, procrastinating until you just couldn't anymore, only to find out it wasn't as scary once you finally did it. The truth is, I like to think of God as my GPS and this is not my own idea, honestly. I googled it. But if you follow your GPS in your car, you know follow the blue line, even if you take a wrong turn, it will reroute you and get you to your destination eventually. But here's the thing you have to be moving to get the next set of directions. Even if you start out the wrong way, it will tell you to make a U-turn, but if you just sit there in park, you will never know where to turn next. So action with faith is under GPS. That's God's positioning system. With action, god will position you right where you need to be. I can't tell you how many times my GPS has kicked.

Speaker 1: 7:00

Let me share a personal story with you. When, faced with the realization that I couldn't continue anymore owning HX, I was filled with sadness. I was filled with doubt and uncertainty about who I was and what am I going to do. Now the thought of starting this podcast came to mind to continue the thing that I love the most about working with all of my team, that was helping them grow. So, even though there's about a bazillion personal growth podcasts and I felt super unqualified, I started recording. But here's what happened. I kept thinking is this the right time? Do I have enough experience to do this? What if it fails? But even though it took me four more months, I realized that the time would never be perfect. So I took a deep breath and I hit the publish button. And here we are today. You know what? I have made so many mistakes and I face challenges, but each time I have been rerouted to what we're here to do today to help get you from your business idea to big business. And if I help just one person do that, I have one.

Speaker 1: 8:17

So if you're listening to this and you're waiting for the perfect time to take action, whether it be to start your business, a project, a new chapter in life, or to even just ask him or her out. I want to encourage you to take that first step. Don't let the fear of imperfection hold you back. You are never going to be fully ready. You're never going to be fully prepared. Do your best and move. Embrace the challenges and mistakes, because they will make you better and they will reroute you closer to your goals. And remember action begets momentum. It's not about waiting for the perfect moment. It's about creating momentum through consistent action. So what are you waiting for? This episode right here. This is your sign. Start today and take that first step and let's build something amazing together.

Speaker 1: 9:12

Well guys, thank you for tuning in to today's episode of the Quality of Life podcast. I hope you found some inspiration to take action in your own life. Don't forget to subscribe to the show and our mailing list at the Erin Olson dot com. Leave us a review and share with that friend who's always putting off starting, and I will see you next week. See ya. Thanks for listening to today's episode. Be sure to check us out on the Quality of Life podcast Facebook and Instagram pages and our website, thearenolsoncom, for downloads and more information. That is T-H-E-E-R-I-N-O-L-S-O-Ncom. Stay up to date by joining our email newsletter. Together, we can improve all of our quality of life.