Getting into the ring.

You can't become a better boxer if you don't get into the boxing ring. It doesn't matter how much you practice outside the ring.

Same for swimming. You can't become good at swimming without getting into the water.

The challenge with our aspirations is that we spend a lot of time and energy thinking but we don't put ourselves in the ring.

If you want to write, sitting for an hour with a blank page and a keyboard is your ring. If you want to do sales, the compose window on your email might be your ring. If you want to get better at dating, introducing yourself to new people might be it.

Yes, getting into the ring would most likely hurt or at least cause some discomfort, sometimes physically but mostly emotionally, but nothing much would get done until we get in there.