Now Is Hard. Later Is Harder

Let’s be honest: starting now doesn’t feel easy.

You might be tired. Or uninspired. Or pulled in a dozen directions. Maybe your idea feels half-baked, your inbox is overflowing, or you’re waiting for “the right moment” to begin.

But while now is hard… later is usually harder.

Because later piles on. 'Later' means carrying the same idea, untouched, for days or weeks. Later means more distractions, more second-guessing, and more pressure to make it perfect. And eventually, later becomes never.

It’s not about pushing yourself into burnout or ignoring the very real demands of your life. But as creatives, we often forget that resistance doesn’t shrink with time. It grows.

Resistance Loves Delay

Every designer, writer, and artist knows the drag of a blank canvas or an unanswered pitch. That friction at the beginning? It’s universal. But the longer we delay, the heavier that friction becomes.

Instead of taking 20 minutes to draft the first rough version, we now need 40 minutes to warm up. Instead of sending a simple follow-up, we overthink every word. An idea we were once excited about now feels distant—faded with the passing of time and confidence.

The project didn’t get harder. The delay made it heavier.

Waiting Feels Safer. But It’s Not

In creative work, waiting often masquerades as a strategy.

We tell ourselves we’re “not ready yet”. That we’ll start once the idea is stronger, the timing is better, or the inspiration strikes. And to be fair, sometimes waiting is wise. Some ideas do need time to simmer.

But most of the time? We’re just avoiding the discomfort of beginning. And avoidance is expensive.

It costs us clarity, momentum, and creative energy. We spend more time thinking about doing the work than actually doing it. And all that rumination has a weight of its own.

The Work Doesn’t Get Easier—But You Do

The secret most experienced creatives know is this: it never really gets easier. But you do get better at starting anyway.

You learn to expect the awkward beginning, the fumbling first draft, and the ugly early comps. You stop fearing them. And when you trust that progress lives on the other side of resistance, you move through it faster.

Momentum isn’t magic. It’s just repeated movement. The more often you start, the less dramatic starting feels.

Choose Your Hard

There’s a kind of hardship in doing the work today. And there’s a different kind of hardship in not doing it.

Doing it today means battling resistance, carving out time, and embracing imperfection.

Not doing it means waking up tomorrow with the same weight on your chest—and maybe even more.

In other words, both paths are hard. But only one moves you forward.

Make Now Smaller

If “starting now” feels too big, shrink it. Don’t begin the whole project. Begin part of it.

- Open the file.
- Write the title.
- Sketch the first layout.
- Send the message you’ve been avoiding.

Start a version so bad it makes you cringe. That’s better than no version at all.

Creative work rewards forward motion, not perfection. Small steps beat stalled intentions every time.

Final Thought: Be Kind, But Don’t Wait

Yes, be kind to yourself. Life is full and messy. But don’t mistake kindness for indulgence. Waiting too long on your work is rarely kind—it’s quietly corrosive. It chips away at your belief in yourself.

You’re not being lazy. You’re being human. But also—you’re capable of far more than your resistance wants you to believe.

Start now, not because it’s easy, but because it’s easier than waiting another day.

Thanks for reading.

If something’s been lingering in your head or on your hard drive, let this be your nudge to begin. Not all at once—just a little. Just enough to say you’ve started. Because starting is what shifts things.

Until next time,
—Gary