Over at the Tiny Life, new contributor Marie made a great post about what she calls “Procrastiprepping.” This is the idea that you can stall your work by convincing yourself that you are doing work preparing for the actual work.
“While waiting for the trailer, then the welding on the trailer, Alan was purchasing used tools (compressor, nail guns, sawsall, etc) from Craigslist and Amazon while I made materials lists, estimated board-feet of lumber and plywood, and scanned the internet for FSC-approved flooring. I call this our Procrastiprepping Phase. Sure, buying an expensive trailer and ordering equally expensive windows is a financial commitment, but nothing says Point Of No Return like screwing down that first bit of floor joist.”
Marie is absolutely right. There is nothing like getting started. It is really easy to get caught in the trap of learning how to do something rather than actually doing it. You can tell yourself you’re trying to be prepared as possible but just because you understand how to do something doesn’t mean you’ve done it. When people ask me how to get started building a tiny house I always say that the first thing they need to do is put down the books and pick up the hammer and nail down that first board. This is metaphorical, you understand. Most of the time nailing down a board isn’t the first step anyway.
Notice how the drill matches my shirt. Photo by Laura M. LaVoie
So, how do you find your own motivation. Read more to see my thoughts on the subject.
