What To Do With Giant Goals
What do you do when your dreams are so incapacitatingly huge?What do you do when you have a BHAG (Big Hairy, Audacious, Goal)?This one, I learned from LEGO as a kid.The picture on the box can be so incredible, but so intimidating.The trick is taking it one step at a time.Simple, but not easy.It turns out that big, hairy, complicated things are actually made up of lots of small, achievable, actionable things.By breaking the big goal down small enough, you enable yourself to see a starting point, mico-missions, and tasks that are manageable.So what to do when you're feeling stuck?Make it smaller.Practice the habit of asking "can it be smaller?" and you will start developing the confidence you need for even bigger, hairier goals.
2 Minute Action
What's something you've been meaning to do but haven't gotten to?What's something you'd like to have finished in the next 10 years?Why can't you start?How would you start if you knew you could never get around that obstacle?What's a step you can take right now? (send an email, make a phone call)Can it be smaller?Breaking big things down into smaller things will help you score a lot of small wins.Small wins will develop the trust in yourself to take on bigger challenges.Don't think you're going to bench press 500lbs on your first day.Get practical.
What To Focus On When You're Stuck
You know the feeling.It's hard to come up with ideas. You're waiting for something to happen. You stick to something you've done in the past even though it's not working now.I don't need to dive into it.One good way to get unstuck is to consider the work you're afraid of.Making the phone call? Putting the money down? Putting yourself out there?What's something you're avoiding?You guessed it.Start with that.Focus on where the fear is.It's your compass.Addressing small fears and avoidances is a powerful way to start trusting your own ability to handle challenges.Face these small fears every day and you'll start training the muscle required to tackle the big stuff.Don't try to bench press 500 lbs. on your first day.
2 Minute Action
Most of the time, it takes 2 minutes or less to take action.Here are three examples:
- Look up the phone number of someone you're trying to reach and just freaking call them.
- Stop by the office yourself instead of sending another email.
- Provide your honest opinion (without hedging or backing down before you finish stating it).