• Blog
  • Archives
  • Bio
  • Awards
  • Speaking
  • Book
  • Contact

I don’t have time for that

Published: Tuesday, 24 February 2009

Do you ever think to yourself that you can’t do this? That you’re not smart enough? That you haven’t practised enough? That you’re not ready? That you’re not good looking enough? That people won’t like you anyway? That you don’t know what to do? That people will think you’re weird? That you’re going to fail? That you’re going to disappoint someone? That you’re going to embarrass yourself? That you’re wasting everyone else’s time? That you’re not important enough? That he-said, she-said, and hence that means that he-thinks, she-thinks? That the conversations in your mind go round and round in circles?

We have all these conversations going on in our minds all the time. We don’t think we’re good enough, we think of how we screwed up last time, we think of all the decisions we make based on our past activities, we think of what other people think of us… But, do you ever stop and think: what am I actually thinking about? And is it actually helping me?

Because if it’s not helping you achieve what you want to achieve, then give it up. If saying to yourself that you can’t do something is not going to help you get something done, give it up. If you’re letting what other people may think about you affect your actions, then give it up. For in the infinite wisdom of Dr. Suess: Those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.

When the Fonz was younger and attending lots and lots of auditions, he would see lots of guys who were taller than him, more good-looking, and who seemed so much more accomplished. Instead of letting it affect him and his performance, he would say to himself, “I don’t have time for that thought,” and not think about it anymore. He usually got the part.

What are you thinking about? Is it worth your time?

About Me

Marita ChengForbes named me a world's top 50 woman in tech & 30 Under 30. I founded Robogals and Aipoly and was Young Australian of the Year 2012. Currently working on robotics company Aubot. I'm the youngest Member of the Order of Australia (AM) and I give speeches around the world.

I tweet @maritacheng and I'm on Facebook.

Subscribe

Enter your email address to receive my latest blog posts: 

 

Random Articles

  • Sole founder or co-founders?

    I was starting up my new start-up and I was finding it hard to get my desired co-founder to commit.  So I thought back over my experiences of the...

  • Aipoly Autonomous Store

    I attended CES with members of the Aipoly team.  Aipoly were fortunate to be awarded a CES Best of Innovation Award for the second year in a row! ...

  • Variety of media

    Myself and Teleport (with my business partner Alberto Rizzoli appearing on Teleport) got a really awesome page 2-3 spread in The Age. It looks rad!...

  • Unless people you’re working with support you, you are going to fail

    Who are the guys that you are going to have pizza with when you successfully raise capital? Who are the guys that are going to inspire you? Who are...

  • 10 million

    My goal with my blog wasn't to reach 10 million views.  (And it hasn't.) My goal was to learn discipline:  making myself contribute to the world each...

  • Don't career plan

    No one knows what will happen in the future.  Just do your best at what you're doing now.  Then consider your options at the end of this project....

  • SBS Viceland: The Feed

    SBS Viceland’s The Feed did a story with us where Anthony used his brain to control Teleport to see the top storey of his house for the first time,...

  • Woman in STEM

    For National Science Week, I spoke at the Super STEM Careers event about my career in STEM.

  • My relationship with money

    You don't need that much money.  Just enough to pay the rent, utilities and food. My plan I created for myself post-uni when I was in 3rd year uni...

  • EmTech Singapore

    Spoke at MIT's conference in Singapore, EmTech.  Other speakers in my session spoke about autonomous robotic cargo ships, advances in drones and...

Enter your email address to receive my latest blog posts: 

 

Scroll to Top