When a new project comes along, no matter how excited you are, sometimes starting is just the hardest part. And its common wisdom that once you start, actually doing it is easy. So here are ten tips to help you get started on something.

1. Think About the End
   Think about how awesome it will feel to finish this project. What will it bring to your life? If you don’t know what’s in store at the end, get excited and brainstorm what it could be.
2. Plan/Break It Up
   Instead of just starting and worry about what its going to be, sometimes its best to break things in to smaller steps, GTD style. Start off by planning instead of actually doing, so that when it’s time for the doing, you won’t be overwhelmed and you can take it in small chunks.
3. Don’t Plan, Just Do
   Sometimes it is best not to plan. For example if you are just trying to write a blog post, try freewriting. Just start putting ideas on to paper. They can be about anything, and eventually something valuable will come out that you can use for a blog post. Once you get some ideas out, then you might want to plan. Or sometimes the best projects aren’t planned at all. Your creative side of your brain isn’t your planning side, so sometimes plans can impede it.
4. Use Somebody
   I’ve found that a great way to get motivated is to tell someone the outcome of your project. How awesome it’s gonna be, how much work it’s gonna be, whatever. The more people you tell the better. Because it’s gonna come up in conversation, and when it does, if you haven’t started it, or barely done anything, your not going to feel to good. Although this may sound bad, it’s called negative reinforcement. Your subconscious mind is going to want to start that project so that next time you talk to someone, you don’t have to say “well, I haven’t really started yet.” Sometimes it is really difficult to motivate yourself, so having someone else do it is a great trick.
5. Ask for Help
   Many times you don’t want to hear the opinion of another when it comes to your personal projects, but sometimes their criticism is what you need. If you tell your idea to someone, and ask them to help you out, they may be able to provide valueable insight. Make sure it is someone useful though. Don’t go to the senior center and ask grandma what she thinks about your new Web 2.0 app.
6. Check Out Something That Will Inspire You
   Depending on what you are trying to get started, sometimes you need to look for inspiration elsewhere before the creativity really flows. Say you are starting a new novel. Read a couple great novels in your genre for inspiration. Writing a blog post? Read some blog posts similar to the one you’re trying to start. Trying to design a new logo? Look for some existing logos for inspiration.
7. Eliminate Fear
   Many times we don’t even realize it, but fear prevents us from starting something. Fear of failing, fear of the reactions of people, fear of a lot of things. Once you can accept and realize that this fear is what’s preventing you from starting, you can kick it to the curb. See emotions we experience, as well as other things like stress, all come from within. You have the ability to control your feelings and emotions whether you want to or not. So stop fearing, and start doing.
8. Set Goals
   If your project is big enough, even getting a huge chunk done won’t feel much different then getting nothing done. By setting goals for yourself, you can create a point when you will feel fulfilled that you got something done.
9. Reward Yourself
   When you finally do start working, reward yourself for your accomplishments. This will make you want to do better in the future.
10. Watch This (Three Parts, in Order)
    
    
    
    

That last one is by my favorite philosopher: Alan Watts (look him up on youtube!).

I hope this post helped you out.