We’ve all been there. You have an idea, and you’ve been kicking it around for a bit, but you haven’t really mapped out your end goal and exactly what you need to do to get there. Instead, you think that at some point you’ll have a “eureka moment.” That light bulb image, where you go “Ah-ha!” and suddenly have all of the knowledge that you’ll need in order to complete your task. Unfortunately, light bulb moments only happen in the movies and in comic books. In the real world, you’ll need to put in work in order to get the success that you want. Stop waiting around for a light bulb to appear over your head, it isn’t going to happen. Clarity comes from doing research and success comes from hard work.

Waiting For A Eureka Moment Means We Don’t Put In The Necessary Work

Waiting around for the light bulb to go off means that you aren’t going to put in the necessary work to achieve success. It means waiting around for a moment that in all likelihood isn’t going to happen. Instead, think about precisely what you want to accomplish. Then write down what you need to do in order to get there. Map it out and write down the steps in chronological order. This will help to set you on the right path and break the problem down so you can handle it incrementally.

This Is A Process—It Doesn’t Happen Overnight

The eureka moment is all about an instant solution to a problem. But in real life, solving problems is a process that takes days, weeks, and months. Sometimes, solving a difficult problem can even take years. After you’ve figured out exactly what your goal is and written down what you need to do in order to get there, have a solid idea of how long it is going to take you.

Success Isn’t A Straight Line

One of the reasons why people wait around for eureka moments is because they have a misconception about success itself. Many people believe that the path to success is a straight line upwards. Nothing could be further from the truth. Success only happens after trial and error, after failures and recalibrations. That means putting yourself out there and trying new strategies and not being afraid to fail. A light bulb moment is all about an instant, miraculous solution to a complex problem. That doesn’t happen in real life. Be prepared to fail and try again.

At the end of the day, you can’t simply wait around and hope that you’ll think of a brilliant, instant solution to your problems. Your problem is likely more difficult and a bit more complex than you think. That is why it is important to make sure that you put in the work to solve it. Be ready to work during the weeks and months ahead.

* Light Bulb image credit goes to: Christian Dubovan.

* Man Gathering Positivity image credit goes to: Joshua Earle.