Now! Now!! Now!!! I just could not time my feet to jump in. My youth and inexperience showed in my first attempts at jumping rope. I do not remember the full experience but what I do remember is that eventually I chose to jump in whether I knew when to or not. This resulted in a tangled jump rope around my feet, plenty of knee scrapes and the use of many Band-Aids.

It was not easy, and it took time but once I mastered it, I took my place amongst the elite group of rope jumpers. It was a memorable day for sure. This was my reason to want to learn.

We jumped and jumped for countless hours to the beat of made-up songs that made us enjoy the moment even more. Learning to jump in and out while the rope is twirling, made me believe increasingly in myself that I had the potential to accomplish anything!

Learning to jump rope requires one to jump right in and learn from mistakes, so as not to repeat them. Ultimately, a person will begin to build on a skill set to handle the complications thrown at them. Developing those skills to becoming a rope jumper made it possible to apply that philosophy toward my own life.

Most often, I wanted to work on a new project, go on a new adventure, pursue a new career, become a new me, but just did not know when to “jump” right in. Procrastination became my comfort, and the excuses were my friends.

I can confidently state that one will never be fully ready to do what the heart desires; therefore, the time to scrape your knees is now.

Come with me and let us learn how to JUMP in together:

J – Just go for it! Yes, preparing oneself for life is just the beginning. Preparing is the first part of any new beginning but eventually you must go for it. Embark on pursuing those dormant dreams, goals, aspirations that are still awaiting fulfillment. Make the bold decision to jump right in. After the first jump, the feet will continue jumping to the beat of its own tune.

U – Unleash your full potential. One of the ways to unleash the capabilities within is by believing in oneself. Believe you will. Know you will. And you will. Do not underestimate what can be achieved when we believe we can. Ralph Waldo Emerson stated, “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” Make the firm belief that you can do what you set to accomplish. Become the best version of yourself and live each day to your full potential. Success is closer than you may know.

M – Motivate oneself. This begins by knowing why a particular goal, dream, or aspiration is important. What benefits does it hold? When you know the why, you will become more confident in your way. Tackle small steps such as setting reachable short-term goals. Upon accomplishment, set another goal, and then another. All these small, reached goals will build momentum and a sense of achievement. Self-reflection on progress motivates one to continue reaching short-term and long-term goals.

P – Pursue with passion. Passion is the fuel that keeps one going when there seems to be reasons to quit. Doubts, set-backs, disappointments, negative people, challenges may contribute in the decision to give up. Having passion will make one look at all of these with a learning mindset mixed with determination to overcome them. Passion looks within to find the values that determine your destination.

It is so easy to procrastinate. Procrastination is a cover up for laziness. Make the first decision to procrastinate no longer. Waiting for the “right time” to complete projects, accomplish goals, be healthier, exercise, finish a degree, change careers, work on relationships, work on improving oneself, or any significant goal, may not arrive.

The day arrived when I had to make the firm decision to “go for it.” The rope kept twirling and to my surprise I was jumping in rhythm. No more tangled ropes. No more scrapes. No more Band-Aids.

Mastering this was only the beginning. My next goal was the infamous complexity of the double-dutch. Are you ready to jump in with me? Now! Now!! NOW!!!

Diana Jaworski, F.O.C.U.S. Coaching Services, is a certified coach, teacher, trainer, and speaker with Maxwell Leadership Certified Team. Learn more about personal growth by visiting her website at www.dianajaworski.com.