There are a million ways to distract ourselves from our purpose.
We can even distract ourselves with preparation.
We can study, research, think, talk, and listen our way out of the action we know deep down that we need to take.
It is easy to tell when we are doing this, but that does not mean it is easy to correct our course.
All we need to do is to ask ourselves whether or not our time, energy, and attention spent in preparation would actually be better off spent in purposeful action.
If the answer is no, we are better off practicing patience and using this time to prepare ourselves for when action is more clearly necessary or advisable.
If the answer is yes, however, there is a good chance that our preparation is really just procrastination in disguise.
Of course, we want to be prepared for whatever course we need to take, but the truth is that some paths can only be created by walking them.
If the purpose we are called to is truly unique to us, there is a good chance that no amount of preparation will help us anyway.
The only thing that can prepare us for the untrodden path is the first step forward.