Have you ever not started something?
I mean, you got all worked up, energized, PUMPED to begin a new adventure and somehow talked yourself out of it.
I do it all the time. I have a real sense of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). So much that I end up being paralyzed by indecision. So many things I could do, so many things seem exciting, but I don’t want to commit to anything just in case something else looks more exciting later.
Can you see how cyclicly insane this is?
The result is I never do anything. I live the same day, the same week, the same month, the same year, the same decade, the same life over and over and over. Of course I’m exaggerating. I do plenty of things and have hobbies that exist outside my day to day dealings with my business. But I do struggle with stepping outside of my comfort zone and dreaming bigger just as much as the next person.
There’s more to life than what we see from day to day, but we filter out millions of experiences because we can’t quite wrap our heads around them just yet. We try to limit the influences in our lives to make it more manageable. We don’t dare to reach for more because we might fail. We allow ourselves to dream for a moment before smacking ourselves back to the reality of the challenges we would face if we simply tried.
Sound familiar? Well, here’s a process I like to use to start to step outside of my comfort zone and move towards those bright and shiny goals that seem so illusive to my logical self.
Dream BIG first
What’s that big goal in all of its magical glory? Can I define it down to the smallest minutia? Can I touch it/smell it/hear it/see it/feel it? Have fun dreaming and write it all down with as much detail as possible. This is a creative process, don't limit yourself!
Long-term
What can I do in the next 12 months to make this goal a reality? Is it completely inaccessible or can I start to see a stepwise pattern of achievement? Think about the big steps and milestones you’ll need to accomplish along the way. These will be mini goals that you can create actionable steps from. Can you start to see an outline?
Short-term
What can I do in the next month to make keep momentum following my stepwise plan? Are there achievable steps along the way? Are there any roadblocks that should be avoided or can they be removed entirely? Take those milestones and break them down into smaller pieces to make the dream more manageable. Develop weekly and monthly checkpoints to help define your process.
Today
What can I do today that will keep me moving forward? Is it exciting? Is it useful? Is it necessary? These are the action steps you take everyday that propel you towards your dream. At the beginning of each week, set a plan for the next 7 days. Every night, set a plan for the next day. Every day check things off your list. Every week, reflect on all of the things you’ve accomplished and so you can enjoy your progress. Share your adventure with your friends and family. If necessary, find a coach or mentor who has accomplished something similar to help speed up the process.
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