You know what it’s like to be all excited and gungho about tackling a new challenge.

Of course, you do.

The adrenaline’s pumping. You’re flush with ideas. Impatient for the crack of the starting pistol. To be off and running. Confident that you’ll still be in reasonably good shape as you bend round the last curve and spot the finish line ahead.

And some of you, I’m sure because you’ve told me, also know what it’s like to experience my current state of panic.

Ack! I’m blaming that on the slurry of mixed metaphors littering this post!

You see, when I originally decided back at the end of August to take on the Ultimate Blog Challenge for the first time I convinced myself  there’d be plenty of time in my schedule to fit in a single month’s worth of blog posts. After all, I had dozens of  post starters in varying degrees of almost readiness. And even more post ideas occupying space in multiple color-coded file folders and notebooks, and tagged with abandon in my Evernote account, and scattered about my hard-drives.

I never wanted to be a daily post blogger.

Still don’t on an on-going basis. But I did want to do this month’s challenge. I do want to do this month’s challenge. I am doing this month’s — October 2012 — Ultimate Blog Challenge. (Yes, see, I’m writing now … determined to finish this first of 31 posts tonight so it goes live in the wee early morning of October 1st. )

My plan was to be so organized that it’d be fun … and oh so gratifying (in a self-satisfied smug sort of way). I’d finish a couple dozen of those almost-ready gems of mine early. I’d tag them to automatically publish on pre-determined dates. Then I’d fill in the few remaining empty days as inspiration hit. And if inspiration didn’t cooperate (slow news day, perhaps) … well, I still had more post starters and ideas tucked here and there to prompt me.

If all else fails there’s still my life-long saving grace — the glorious all-nighter

It’s not that I’m not a good planner. I have a bona-fide history of good plans that have been well-executed. Just ask some of my travel mates to Europe. Or my book editors.

It’s not that I’m disorganized. I can be extremely well-organized when I put my mind to it. Just ask some of my past corporate colleagues. My cubicles were models of organized files and work flow efficiency.

But I do have a long history of procrastinating the start of projects when the challenges are most personal … when what I want to achieve is primarily for my benefit … or so it often seems. Sometimes, to me. Sometimes, to those around me.

Had it not been for sheer determination … and a penchant for all-nighters … none of my major accomplishments would have reached completion. None of my many books. None of the courses needed to finally earn (at age 58) my bachelor’s degree, a journey that I’d waited till my early 40’s before even beginning. None of dozens of other projects and achievements.

The point of all this is …

It’s all about taking responsibility. It’s about choice. It’s about commitment. It’s about taking the next step … and the next … and the next. To the best of your ability. For as long as it takes to reach the finish line.

It’s not about excuses. It’s not about what you did … or didn’t … do before.

It’s about today. And what you want to be able to claim in the future so you can say, “I achieved that. Me. I did it.”

And smile.

Because you made a choice. You made a commitment. You took responsibility for your thoughts and actions.

I recommitted to a challenge today. Tonight I’m going to bed in the wee early morn of Oct 1st with a smile.

The next step tomorrow will be easier. I’ve taken the first step.

What challenge will you be tackling next? I’d love for you to share in the comments below.

Tell me. Are you ready to take that first step?