Sometimes You Need Three Words: Go For It

I can still remember a conversation from 2015 when I was dreaming out loud about some things I wanted to do. I don't remember every detail of the conversation, but I remember three words that came out of it.

Go for it.

They were simple words, and I'm pretty sure the person who said them didn't realize how much they would stay with me. But at the time, they were exactly what I needed to hear.

I had been thinking about motivational speaking, which makes me laugh a little now because part of what brought the thought to the surface was one of those Facebook quizzes that supposedly tells you what you're meant to do with your life. I wasn't about to let a Facebook algorithm determine my calling, but what caught my attention was that the result put words to something I had already been thinking about.

That's an important distinction.

Sometimes something outside of us doesn't introduce a new idea as much as it confirms what has already been stirring within us. And when that happens, we still have to decide what we're going to do with it.

For me, that's where overthinking can enter the picture.

I've always been someone who likes to think things through. That has served me well in many areas of my life because I'm not usually going to jump into something without considering it. But I've also had to recognize that there is a point where thoughtful consideration can become hesitation.

You can think about something for so long that you eventually talk yourself out of doing it.

Looking back, I can see how many of the things I was trying to understand about myself at that time were actually connected. Teaching, speaking, writing, encouraging people, helping someone see what was possible—those things may have shown up in different ways, but there was a common thread running through them.

I couldn't see all of that clearly in 2015.

And maybe I wasn't supposed to.

Sometimes we want to understand the entire purpose before we're willing to take the first step. But I've found that some things become clearer because you move. You learn what fits. You recognize what doesn't. You discover where your gifts are strongest, and with time, you become more comfortable with how God created you to use them.

There are still moments when I need to remind myself of that.

Not every idea needs to be pursued, and every opportunity isn't necessarily yours. Wisdom, prayer, and discernment matters. But after you've prayed and you've thought it through, there comes a point when continuing to analyze isn't giving you any more clarity.

It's just keeping you from moving.

Maybe there's something you've been considering for a while. You don't need another ten reasons why it could work or why it might not. You may not need another person to confirm it. And you certainly don't need to have every detail figured out before you begin.

Sometimes you just need three words.

Go for it.