NFA Finance

THE MOST DANGEROUS WORD IN THE WORLD

It’s not failure.

It’s not rejection.

It’s not fear.

It’s not risk.

The most dangerous word in the world is:

Later.

Later I’ll start the business.

Later I’ll start the YouTube channel.

Later I’ll get in shape.

Later I’ll make the phone call.

Later I’ll take the trip.

Later I’ll fix the relationship.

Later I’ll reinvent myself.

The problem is that “later” feels responsible.

It feels safe.

It feels logical.

But what most people don’t realize is that later has a habit of turning into never.

I’ve watched it happen my entire life.

People spend years talking about the thing they want to do.

The business.

The project.

The dream.

The move.

The new career.

The better version of themselves.

They think about it.

Research it.

Talk about it.

Plan it.

Then one day they look up and five years have passed.

Nothing changed except the calendar.

Recently I was having a conversation with a friend who wants to reinvent part of his life.

New direction.

New opportunities.

New chapter.

The same thing I told him is the same thing I remind myself of all the time:

Just start.

I don’t care if it’s sloppy.

I don’t care if it’s awkward.

I don’t care if nobody watches.

I don’t care if it isn’t perfect.

Start.

The first video won’t be your best video.

The first blog post won’t be your best blog post.

The first workout won’t be your best workout.

The first step isn’t supposed to be impressive.

It’s supposed to happen.

That’s the part people miss.

They spend so much time trying to create the perfect beginning that they never create a beginning at all.

At 47 years old, one thing has become crystal clear to me:

Action creates clarity.

Not thinking.

Not planning.

Not waiting.

Action.

You don’t figure out the road before you leave the driveway.

You figure it out by moving.

Most of the opportunities in my life came after I started, not before.

The dealership.

The investments.

The content.

The relationships.

The lessons.

None of it showed up because I sat around waiting for the perfect time.

It showed up because I moved.

So if there’s something you’ve been thinking about doing, stop waiting for later.

Because later is sneaky.

Later becomes next month.

Next month becomes next year.

Next year becomes a regret.

And regrets are a lot heavier to carry than a bad first attempt.

Start ugly.

Start scared.

Start imperfect.

Just don’t start later.

— Nicholas Francis