You ever look at a blank page on a day where you have nothing to do but write that thing?
You ever have a million options?
Let constraints help you figure out your shit.
Blank page? Give yourself a prompt. A million options? Not really. Which ones require no effort? No money? No need to move? Okay, now that you're at "watch tv and pass out," do you want to do that? no. What about go outside? Okay. Car? No, can't take the car, you already decided you didn't want to. Walk? Sounds great. Boom.
On a Friday night close to home, I got into an accident and unfortunately totaled my wife's car. Everyone was safe.
Here's what I knew:
1). I had to move fast. No delays. I couldn't let my mistakes disrupt my family's life.
2). I had to ensure my wife's quality of life wasn't impacted. Or my family's. This meant: same car or better.
3). I didn't want to spend any money out of pocket. Cash was tight, I was building out HQ, so I called my credit union. They told me I could fund the entire car, including tax, if I bought from a big dealer, in state, under x amount. No haggling on Craigslist for a few thousand dollars in savings, no searching nationwide and figuring out shipping.
4). It had to be over 6,000 lbs, reinforcing that it had to be the same car. Tax write-offs and bonus depreciation made sure that even if the deal was mediocre the tax savings would justify.
5). Within 24 hours found a California car, on Caravan. The right miles, better version, just under the budget assigned. It was actually a better version of my wife's car.
It was 2 am Saturday night at this point. The accident was on Friday night. I claimed the car, signed the paperwork, then confirmed the financing with my lender. The car was literally delivered to my house one week after the accident.
I acknowledge the luck at every level of this circumstance. But I also acknowledge how obstacles set people back, much smaller obstacles, for much longer.
I had a friend who had an idea she was sitting on, for years. She told me about one day. I looked up the domain. It was already taken. That was the end of the idea.
Establish constraints as soon as possible to create as soon as possible. Combine this + asymmetric opportunity seeking (finding things with low risk, high reward), do it a bunch of times and you'll be cookin'.
Just never, ever, stare at a blank page for too long.