The First Quarter Is Gone: GET UP!

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Joy Olu-Ajayi 

Be honest, how did you start this year? Full of plans, right? You had things you wanted to achieve, habits you wanted to build and the ones you wanted to change badly and a version of yourself you were determined to become. You told yourself this year would be different. You set deadlines, made promises, and held on to your faith, praying, declaring, and believing that everything would fall into place. In your mind, you could already see it: a more disciplined, more financially stable, more accomplished and a more refined version of you.

Some of us even took bold steps. We signed up for opportunities, joined platforms, and aligned ourselves with ideas that promised growth. Many even became ambassadors for Cowrywise, driven by the desire to improve their financial lives and create new streams of income. It sounded like a great plan. In fact, it truly was.

But now comes the honest question: what have we done with those opportunities?

For some, the intention stopped at the decision. No stock purchased. No savings made. No strategic moves taken. Instead, the pattern has been the same: spend and spend and spend. Every new thing becomes a necessity. Every passing desire becomes an expense. Slowly, without realising it, the very financial growth we envisioned begins to slip further away.

Now, the first quarter has ended. January, February, and March are all gone. Quietly. And we are left standing in front of our own words, our own promises and our own plans. It is not that we did not mean them. We actually did. But somewhere along the way, action was replaced with delay. Our actions were replaced with procrastination.

Think about it.

Some of us bought books at the beginning of the year. Books we were excited about. Books we said would change our mindset, improve our knowledge and sharpen our thinking. But those books are still sitting where we left them. Unopened. Untouched. Waiting on our shelves.

Others said, “This year, I will improve my appearance. I will dress better. I will present myself differently.” But nothing has changed, not because the desire is gone, but because of the belief that “I do not have enough money to start.”

And that is where we get it wrong.

Growth does not begin with abundance. It begins with willingness. You do not need to do everything at once. Start small. Appreciate your small beginnings. If it means getting one item instead of ten, get that one. If it means improving gradually, then improve gradually. Progress is not about speed. It is about consistency.

Some said, “I want to speak better. I want to communicate confidently.” Yet, no practice has started. No conscious effort has been made. The desire is there, but the real action is missing. And that is the pattern across many of our goals.

We are waiting!

Waiting for the perfect time. Waiting for enough money. Waiting to feel ready. Waiting for motivation. Waiting for the right audience. 

But waiting has never built anything. Or has it?

There is a powerful truth we often ignore: procrastination is a thief of time. It does not come loudly. It does not force itself on you. It comes gently, disguised as comfort, as rest, as “later.” But every time you choose “later,” you are quietly giving away time you can never get back.

This is not a moment for excuses. It is a moment for awakening.

Because the truth remains: your goals will never accomplish themselves. They need you. They need your effort, your discipline, and your decision to act now, not later.

So, get up!

Not in theory. Not in words. In action.

Get up and pick up that book. Read one page. Just one.
Get up and make one financial decision that aligns with your goals. Save a little, invest a little, start somewhere.

Get up and take one step toward improving yourself. Practice speaking, dress a little better, learn something new.

It does not have to be perfect. It just has to begin.

If possible, involve someone else. Accountability changes things. When someone knows what you are working towards, it becomes harder to remain stagnant. It pushes you to show up, even when you do not feel like it. Tell someone. Let them ask you questions. Let them check on you.

Because growth thrives when it is taken seriously. This is your call. Not just a soft reminder that pats you on the back, but a firm one that questions you. 

Get up!

Get up from delay. Get up from endless planning without execution. Get up from the mindset that says, “I will start later.” Later has taken enough from you already, and if you are not careful, it will take everything from you. You already know what to do. You do not need more ideas. You need movement.

So move!

Let today be the day you restart. Not perfectly, but intentionally. Let it be the day you say, “I may not have done everything I planned, but I refuse to remain where I am.”

The first quarter is gone, yes. But the year is not over. There is still time. Valuable time, but only if you use it. Because in the end, the difference is simple: those who act grow. Those who wait remain.

And you were never meant to remain the same.