So I was scrolling through some old quotes the other day (yes, I’m that person who gets lost in quote rabbit holes), and this gem from Henry Ford smacked me right in the face: “You can’t build a reputation on what you are GOING to do.”
Oof. Right in the feelings, Henry.
The “Someday” Syndrome Is Real
You know what’s wild? I bet every single one of us has that friend who’s been “about to start” their business for like three years now. They’ve got the perfect logo designed, they’ve researched their target market to death, and they can tell you exactly how they’re going to dominate their industry… someday.
But here’s the thing – nobody’s buying what you’re not selling yet.
I used to be the King of grand announcements. “I’m going to write a long romance series!” “I’m starting a podcast!” “I’m learning Japanese!” My poor friends probably rolled their eyes every time I declared my next big adventure. And honestly? They had every right to. Because most of those things? Yeah, they never happened.
Why We Love the Planning Phase (A Little Too Much)
There’s something intoxicating about the planning stage. It feels productive, doesn’t it? You’re making lists, doing research, maybe even buying supplies. Your brain tricks you into thinking you’re already succeeding because you’re thinking about succeeding.
But planning without action is just elaborate procrastination with better stationery.
I learned this the hard way when I spent six months “preparing” to start running. I bought the shoes, downloaded apps, mapped out routes, read articles about proper form. Want to know how many times I actually ran during those six months? Zero. Zilch. Nada.
The Reputation Reality Check
Here’s what Henry Ford understood way back in the early 1900s: your reputation isn’t built on your intentions, your plans, or your potential. It’s built on your deliverables. People remember what you actually did, not what you said you were going to do.
Think about the people you respect most. Are they the ones who always have big plans, or are they the ones who quietly get stuff done? Yeah, exactly.
Small Actions, Big Impact
The beautiful thing about Ford’s philosophy is that you don’t need to do something earth-shattering to start building your reputation. You just need to start doing something.
Want to be known as a helpful person? Start helping people in small ways – hold doors, offer genuine compliments, listen when someone needs to vent.
Want to build a reputation as a reliable professional? Start by actually meeting your deadlines instead of just promising you will.
Want to be seen as creative? Stop talking about your art and start making it, even if it’s terrible at first.
The Fear Factor
Let’s be real for a second – sometimes we stay in the planning phase because it’s safe there. You can’t fail at something you haven’t started yet, right? But you also can’t succeed.
I get it. Putting yourself out there feels vulnerable. What if people don’t like what you create? What if you’re not as good as you thought? What if you embarrass yourself?
Just Start Where You Are
You don’t need perfect conditions to begin. You don’t need the ideal setup, unlimited time, or complete confidence. You just need to start with what you have, where you are, right now.
I finally started that blog I’d been “planning” for years by literally just writing one terrible post and hitting publish. Was it perfect? Absolutely not. Did anyone even read it? Probably not. But it existed, and that was more than all my planning had ever accomplished. And though I didn’t continue with Japanese, I did learn French and I’m still studying it to this day. I also finally got off my duff and wrote books, though they were urban fantasy stories rather than romance. There’s not law that says we can’t change our mind, right? What counts is that I started doing something.
The Compound Effect of Doing
Here’s something cool that happens when you shift from planning to doing: momentum builds. Each small action makes the next one easier. Each completed task adds to your track record. Before you know it, people start noticing not what you say you’ll do, but what you consistently deliver.
Your reputation becomes less about your promises and more about your patterns.
My Challenge to You (And Myself)
So here’s what I’m thinking – what’s one thing you’ve been saying you’re “going to do” that you could actually start today? Not finish today, just start.
Maybe it’s finally publishing that blog post you’ve been drafting. Maybe it’s making that phone call you’ve been putting off. Maybe it’s just taking one small step toward that bigger goal.
Whatever it is, let’s stop building castles in the air and start laying some actual bricks.
Because at the end of the day, Henry Ford didn’t become famous for talking about cars – he became famous for making them. And making them accessible to regular people. And revolutionizing manufacturing in the process.
But it all started with doing, not just planning to do.
P.S. I’m definitely guilty of everything I just wrote about, but hey – at least I actually wrote this post instead of just thinking about it!
Buying a fixer-upper is always risky, but for Marek and Randy, the risk isn’t just financial. Their new Michigan farmhouse comes with no hot running water, endless repairs… and a resident ghost. Marek can’t ignore the young man who appears in fleeting visions, dressed in old-fashioned clothes and radiating sorrow. While Randy struggles with his new job and their strained romance, Marek is pulled deeper into the farmhouse’s past—a past that demands to be remembered. A Touch of Cedar is about the things that haunt us: broken trust, lost love, and tragedies that refuse to stay silent.