How do you even get started on a goal? Sometimes “just doing it” doesn’t cut it. It can be overwhelming thinking about all the things that go into accomplishing a goal and feeling overwhelmed can be discouraging.
When someone wants to run a marathon, they don’t go out and run a marathon the next day. That would be nearly impossible! They train for it. Well life is a marathon, not a sprint. You got to train and pace yourself. You learn to crawl before you walk, and you learn to walk before you run.
Think about your goal. What’s the very first baby step you could make to getting there? It doesn’t matter how small the step is, it’s still a step in the right direction, and by taking it you are closer to your goal than you were before. Is being 1/10th closer to your goal better than not starting it at all?
How long are you going to give yourself to incorporate this new baby step into your new lifestyle? Is it a realistic time frame? Once you’re comfortable with this first baby step, what’s the next little baby step you would feel comfortable taking? What would it take to repeat this process with all the steps you need until you’ve accomplished your goal? Would giving yourself a deadline to complete this goal be helpful?
What’s holding you back from taking that first baby step? What is getting in the way, or could get in the way, and how do you plan to make sure you follow through? How will you know you’re making progress? How will you know what you’re doing is working?
What will it be like knowing you’re getting closer to your goals? What’s coming up thinking about accomplishing them?
What are some stories you’re telling yourself about accomplishing your goals? Are they helpful? True?
How do you want to break down the steps to accomplish your goal, so they seem more manageable? How would the information be the most user-friendly, accessible, memorable, and the least overwhelming?
What happens if you “mess up” and don’t complete a step on time, or at all? Do you stop all together? Keep going? Is it the end of the world? Is the next step still worth doing? Do you need to re-assess the steps along the way as your goal-picture becomes clearer? What do you need to help stay on your personal goal track?
It’s your goal, your process, your life. You do what you got to do and take your time with it. Hopefully you’ll find some joy along the way. How good will it feel to accomplish your goal?
