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Pulling the trigger
    In the movie “Collateral” starring Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx plays a cab driver forced to transport a hit man around town while he does his dirty work. Within the first few minutes of the film, we learn Jamie Foxx’s character has the dream of starting his own executive chauffeur business.
     During stops, he gazes wistfully at brochures containing pictures of the luxury cars he hopes to use in his business. He repeatedly states throughout the movie that everything has to be just right before he can start his business and explains that he is saving money for that happy day when everything comes together.
     He has been driving his cab, dreaming his dream, for over 12 years. Although the movie never utilizes the pun, it seems to me Jamie Foxx’s character is having trouble pulling the trigger.
     There are countless people who have their fingers on the trigger but never manage to pull it. In the business world, that is known as analysis paralysis — unsuccessfully attempting to manage the fear of risk by gaining enough knowledge to feel comfortable about taking the proposed step. 
     Can you relate? Who hasn’t felt that twinge in the pit of their stomach before making a big decision? And it’s okay to have a few nervous butterflies. That is, unless you allow them to be a barrier instead of a speed bump.
     To help you break through the barrier, there are three things you need to know:
    1]  It never is the perfect time to begin. There is always a reason to wait. When I first began my entrepreneurial journey, I realized that, if I allowed myself, I could have an excuse every day not to take risks.
      Get it through your head right now. There is never enough money, time or manpower. The real question is — will you let that stop you?
     2]  It is always scary. But courage isn’t the absence of fear.  It is taking action in spite of fear. At some point there has to be a moment where you close your eyes and step out into the unknown. 
     3]  There is no perfect plan. It’s been said that an imperfect plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow, and a truer statement cannot be made. Plans should always be malleable, made to bend to accommodate the unaccountable. You are not expected to have all the answers before you begin. Get as many as you can and pick up the others on the way.
     At the end of the day, no one else can do it for you. You have to take the step yourself. So while you’re  inhaling, closing your eyes and lifting your foot, remember that it is always better to try, fail and learn from the experience than to never make the attempt at all.
     © 2004 Charles Marshall. Charles Marshall is a motivational speaker, author and president of M Power Resources, LLC. Visit his Web site at www.MPowerResources.com or contact him via e-mail at charles@MPowerResources.com.