Case 1: Resistance – to initiate!

Free yourself by practicing the art of starting where we are today and build for a better tomorrow

Have you ever set a goal – something very important to you – in your personal / professional life only to back out later because of some genuine reason(s)?

Let me share a simple example. I decided to write ten blog articles in May 2025. Days and weeks passed by. I didn’t even begin to write. Before I could realize, I started thinking:

• What if I sound monotonous?
• What if I run out of topics midway?
• What if the quality isn’t good?

At that time, the reasons seemed to be valid. In hindsight they were nothing but excuses. A classic sign of my resistance to initiate – because to start means to face creative work, vulnerability and effort. It is much easier to sit around and blame it all on the creative writer’s block. Isn’t it?

But honestly, how many times have we truly experienced writer’s block compared to all the times we chose to Netflix, wasteful scrolling over writing? Can this be called as our way of dealing with writer’s block?

No.

It is simply mental resistance. One’s own resistance in creating something while aspiring for perfection.

Here’s the real question.

How will you know if you don’t even try?

How can I be so sure that I can’t finish ten articles if I haven’t even written one yet?

To those of you holding back on things that mean the world to you, pause reading and ask yourself now. Is it a lack of readiness or just resistance to begin? It can be anything – joining a gym, learning a language, applying for your dream job, asking your crush out on a date. If you have been postponing these for “solid” reasons, its high time to take action.

In my agriculture project, during this fellowship, I faced a similar situation where resistance overpowered my motivation to begin. I hesitated to talk with the farmers in the beginning. I felt under confident as I lacked technical knowledge of agriculture. I had no family background in agriculture. I was scared even to go for field visits. I chose to stay in my comfort zone. I, therefore continued working with panchayat members and intermediates rather than the primary stakeholders.

But, one day, it hit me suddenly – When would I ever be fully ready?

After a B.Sc. in Agriculture? Or maybe after a Ph.D.?

I was already six months into this two-year fellowship program. Time was nothing but fleeting. I had to begin. Somewhere. Anywhere.

So, I picked up my phone and called my contacts in the village panchayats and FPO directors.

I asked, ‘Can you help me speak with a lead farmer?’

That one call, that one request broke the barrier. It marked the beginning of my agricultural journey. I realized that day, we sometimes truly believe that we are not cut out to bring impact or change. But, with consistent effort, small wins and courage, we absolutely can.

So, wherever you are in your life’s journey feeling unsure, scared or simply stuck – remember this

Let’s practice the art of starting where we are today and build for a better tomorrow.

Have you had such mental resistance while beginning something significant in your life? I’d love to hear from you.

Write to author at santhiyagovind@gmail.com