Eking Up The Curve…..

As I noted here, people often fail to fulfill their dreams or live up to their potential because they confuse a lack of skills and knowledge with ability.

If you want to accomplish something, but feel very far away from the goal, here are some strategies to help you start moving forward.  Most importantly, you just have to start and then keep stepping towards your dream.

You will likely feel overwhelmed when you try to begin the journey.  Here are some strategies:

• Organize: try to envision the big chunks of what needs to be accomplished.  Then break those chunks down to small pieces.  Next rank order in terms of chronological priority the big chunks. What needs to be done first?  What immediate step is the most important to take or the most feasible?  You know where to start.  So lean into it.

• An even simpler way to organize is to write notes about what you need to do.  Jot down inspirations and ideas, next steps, whatever.  Note-taking software such as Evernote or Microsoft OneNote should help you organize your thinking.  I personally love Micorsoft Onenote.  My whole life is organized around that single piece of software.

• Just pick something related to the project–any reasonable step–and do it.  It’s sounds simple, but simply do what you feel like doing so long as it is related to your goal (not checking Facebook).  It may not be the key item to accomplish, but if it is part of furthering the cause, then do that.  By continually focusing on what you feel like doing and seems like it will be fun and interesting, you will just keep working.  You can work very long hours this way because it’s like you are eating the Wheaties you want to eat–rather than force feeding the veges you think you should eat.  You still get to all the necessary steps, but this leads to massive productivity.

• If you are really struggling, then just hurl yourself at any task related to your goal you can think of–even if you know you don’t know what you are doing.  Just putting your attention and effort at the problem will slowly help grind out clarity.  I’ve had to do this a number of times when my goal was too big for me to break down into actionable steps.

So, no more excuses.  Get to work.  Take manageable steps.

You can do this.  I’m certain of it.