Why You Need to Ditch the Permission Slip

There are way too many times when I’ve held myself back because I was waiting for the perfect moment to start or had a slew of excuses at the ready. The key to just getting it (whatever “it” might be) done is to stop looking for perfection, stop making excuses, and to stop waiting for permission.

Why You Need to Ditch the Permission Slip

Guest post by Maxie McCoy

As the end of the year closes in, I can’t help but think about how an entire year has almost passed. The question that follows that thought is always, and did I do the things that I said I wanted to do?

I’ve noticed a pattern in my own life, and the lives of those around me: The people who have created, accomplished, and made what they wanted to make haven’t waited around for it to happen to them. And they definitely haven’t waited around for someone to tell them they can.

You may think of permission as something our parents doled out when we were younger. But permission is actually something we let all types of gatekeeper create in our lives. It works a little something like this…

I can’t start that business until someone gives me money to do it… permission.

I won’t start dating until I feel better about my looks… permission.

I’m not going to share my new blog until I get more of a following… permission.

I can’t start a new job until I’ve been here for three years… permission.

I’m not going to tell them how I feel until they bring it up first… permission.

You get the picture. These are all subconscious, and self-imposed permission slips that we give ourselves, that we tell ourselves, that we convince ourselves we must follow. But they’re made up. They are forged permission slips that you need rip up right now. Because when you do, you’ll have no reason and no excuse not to follow your heart. You’ll be forced to start right now.

And want to know the people that accomplish the most? The ones who create fulfillment regularly? The ones who have very few regrets about the past year of their lives? They’re the ones that ripped up all of those permission slips and just did it. Just created it. Just said it. Even if they didn’t feel like they were ready. And even when they weren’t sure what they were doing. And most assuredly even when they felt like waiting for it to be a better, more perfect situation.

I’ve been this person so many times. However, the creations I’m the proudest of (like my book-in-the-making and my new show) happened when I got sick of waiting and dreaming and talking about these things “I wanted to do, ” and I just went and created them.

When you do that, here’s what you gotta remember: what you’re creating won’t be your final vision. But it will be a start. And that’s way better than not starting because you’re waiting for someone’s permission to do so.

So think about if you created everything you wanted to this year. If there’s still something un-begun on that list, what permission slip are you waiting for? And how can you go ahead and start, or create, or begin instead? Let this be the time you stopped waiting for anyone’s permission and just go, do, create, and make anything that little heart can dream of.

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