Does Anyone Else Have Trouble Getting Things Started?

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I keep getting all kinds of ideas about things I want to do, I get excited about them, but then in the end....I never quite get the initiative to carry them out. I don´t know if this has something to do with "executive function"- (I was under the impression that executive function means being able to organize, or direct one´s life??) In fact, I am quite capable of organizing things. This problem I have of not starting things has more to do with not knowing exactly HOW to start them, or- another problem- is that I might just decide that a plan is lame due to fear, I guess, in which case I psych myself out.

In going through the "gathering of information" phase, I may not be able to get the proper information for some reason, so I end up bagging the plan.

Here is an example: where I live, there is an autistic center where there is a meeting for AS people, which I would be interested in checking out. I would like to meet other people with AS, it also seems to be my "special interest" at the moment (I am obsessed with it), and I also think- who knows?- maybe I´ll meet a nice single man. In any case, there are many good reasons to check it out. So why is it that I never make that phone call that will give me the proper information? (Damn...wish I could e-mail them, but that is impossible). I know that part of it is fear stopping me. I don´t like talking on the phone, but I would like to get information- (i.e., who shows up? will I fit in, or will the people resent my presence?) As I am undiagnosed, I am worried that if I don´t look "obviously autistic"- like in films- that the doctor will think I´m an impostor. Also, in checking out their website, I noticed they used the term "psychische störung" in talking about autism- (which means "psychic disturbance"). This put me off. (I don´t feel psychically disturbed). So here I go again, psyching myself out. Is this just my not willing to take the initiative, so I convince myself I don´t want to go anyway? I´ve done this before.

I have 2 motivations in starting this thread. 1) I´d like to know if anyone else has these problems of getting things started generally, and 2) I´d would be very happy if others would give me their feedback about the AS meeting: should I just take the plunge?

Getting things started is a major problem for me. You described the process as it pertains to me, so I cannot really add much to it. I do know that once I manage to get something going, I feel pretty good for a while...until I feel what I am doing is not coherent and seemingly flawed, which causes me to drop whatever this activity may be. I suppose I am guilty of being a perfectionist! This is exactly why I fight with myself to receive an official diagnoses.

For number one, I don't have too much trouble starting things. It's finishing things that's always a problem.

For number two, I think your unwillingness might be your intuition telling you to protect yourself. Whoever runs this center doesn't seem to know much about helping aspies, if they call them "psychically disturbed" and make them use the phone to get information.

sometimes I have the same problems.

Me! I always do.

I guess that's just the way I am!

I have huge problems in getting started with anything. I can't just do anything, there has to be some cue for me to start. If it weren't for the fact that I have a clock beside my bed that I can look at and say "Ok, when the minute hand gets to x position, I'll get up,", I'd never get out of bed until 5 minutes before I had to leave the house. I've become very good at using things in my environment as stimuli for getting started on everything. This is part of the reason why routine is so important to me, if my day/week didn't have the structure it does, my ability to do anything, including remembering to eat, would fall apart totally.

I have this also.

Massive problems starting anything, unless I only have one thing on my plate and there are no barriers at ALL to doing it. (such as stimming, or refreshing the General Autism Discussion board.)

Also massive problems finishing anything. It is totally not just you (or anyone else with this).

I have also been in contact with my local autism foundation + they also have a meeting thingy for aspies... and, just the effort required to locate the place, GET there (driving??), and steel myself for socialising, is just so much more difficult than pretending that "Actually no I'm too busy."

So I don't go either. :x

I really should get onto that ethics application too X____x

Two words: HELL. YES.

You've described my way of thinking and doing, too; I've always had a lot of ideas I've been excited about but then have a great deal of trouble with initiative and carrying them out. I think a lot of it has to do with difficulties regarding organization, for one. It's always been a major, major frustration in my life. I don't really know how to truly overcome it, either.

Oh yeah. The rest of TS's post applies to me too, lol. I've had so many changes in prospective career, you couldn't count them on all my fingers and toes.

westernwild - the organisation thing is a huge problem for me (I'm in a masters course and there's 1. huge amounts of information coming all at once, and 2. "self-driven study" ... enough said) but this is going to be my main goal this year. I'm starting by using a HUGE number of routines, including the daily ones, writing them ALL out (messily, on different pieces of paper. I hope I can conglomerate them). This includes class times, when to study, when to eat, when to put something in my bag, when to sleep (gosh I forget that all the time...unintentional 5 am bedtimes), when to do laundry, when to start cooking, when to feed the fish.

This means I can (as someone mentioned earlier) watch the clock tick over to whatever time and know I have to do something.

I'm sure there are even more drastic measures?

Yes, I have trouble getting things started myself, which has especially been a thorn in my side for the last five years, though outside factors have also played a part in that. I find that the main reason I end up not getting things started - or, like Amicitia, not getting things finished that I have started - is a fear of failure.

I can certainly recognise what Liresse and Who_Am_I said about the need for organisation and routine; I used to keep planning these schedules -including my 'free' time- to organise my day so that I wouldn't skip anything important. Lately, though, I'm trying to let loose of that a little.

Morgana, I think you should go to that meeting if you really want to. I doubt anyone will think you're an imposter. As it's a meeting for autistics in the first place, everyone will sort of know 'where you're coming from', so to speak. Plus you said it's your special interest at the moment. You should really go for it, even if it may seem difficult to do so right now. What could go wrong?

And don't be put off by the word "Störung". It doesn't just translate to 'disturbance' but also to 'disorder'. I'm Dutch, have always considered my autism to be a 'storing' or 'stoornis', without any negative implications to the word. The only word that does make me bristle is 'beperking' ('Behinderung', 'handicap') which would suggest that I have a ceiling I can't grow past. Which, I know I do not.

i have trouble getting my cheap whipper snipper started.

this is a good product, but still does not work on my whipper snipper.

There are alot of times, even when I really want to do something and I am even eager to do it but somehow I can just end up doing nothingness - where even staring off at the wall takes over. Sometimes my mind has so much in it that I want to do - so many things racing that it just sort of burns it's self out before even getting started and it's back to wall or celling staring or something - it can be so frustrating.

For things I do not really want to do / haven't set my mind to - they are sh!t outta luck - I'm really trying to get better on that but it is so difficult.

Then there are times when I have started something that I just can't leave and keep doing it as if 'possessed' [sp?], like I have been chained to it and there is an invisible gun to my head and I am forced.

Ah yeah - it's the all or nothing thing that is me.

it takes me ages to start stuff like homework but im ok after i get going

Yeah, but once I harness the energy to do so, I can do a really good job.