Tough (Question) Tuesday: What’s the smallest step you can take?
I got a comment recently from James, who was looking to stop his lazy ways & get his butt in gear. He knows he’s talented, but mindless web surfind & video games are getting in the way of kicking some butt & reaching his goals. I have a feeling that this question could apply to him as well as to everyone else, so think of that goal you know you could reach & ask yourself:
What’s the smallest step you can take?
I’ll start us off in the comments. Please join me in finding that one small step & commiting yourself to take it!
You can read all of the Tough (Question) Tuesday installments here.
Related posts:
July 14th, 2009 at 10:47 am
Actually, I have so much in motion now that it’s tough for me to think of doing something that I’m currently not doing! OK, not true – I definitely need to stop being scared of Wreck This Journal – & ensure that I make time for it – so the smallest step I can take is to open it up to a random page, & wreck for only 10 minutes. Whatever page it is, whatever it asks, I’m going to commit to 10 minutes of wrecking. I can totally do that.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:57 am
I need to set a date for my first ever webinar. I think the smallest step I can take is to crack open iCal & look at the calendar.
I think that’s definitely doable.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Hey Michelle!
Love your question today, and it immediately reminded me of my most recent “couching” session with the fabulous SARK. She walked me through creating a “Micromovement Wheel of Delight” for a new project I’m starting. It’s so cool! Total baby steps, baby! You and your readers might enjoy it and find it useful. Here’s a link to the .pdf: http://is.gd/1yBVI
Rock on!
Laura
July 14th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Great question Coach! One small step I can take toward reacing my goals is to spend less time on FB and more time doing some writing and organzing at home. I am presenting at a conference in November and teaching two courses in the fall, so it’s going to be a busy time for me! I know it is best for me to start prepping sooner than later, and so I must do what I have to do. Small steps.
Thanks!
July 14th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Well, I could talk about this topic endlessly as it is the basis of my website and my coaching model, but I will try to contain myself. I break my goals up into small actions every week and work down the list throughout the week. This week, for example, I have posted 20 small actions on my blog that I will be working on over the course of the week.
What I have determined for myself is that it is really easy to get forward movement on a goal if you don’t think of the whole goal. The whole goal can be intimidating, but the tiny little actions that make it up aren’t frightening at all.
Set up my coaching practice. That is scary.
Call friend who is a web designer and ask questions. Not scary.
Call graphic designer friend about a logo. Not scary.
Write step two of Pink Spoon Marketing program. Not scary.
Write blog post to add content to site. Not scary.
All of them move me towards the goal that frightens me “set up coaching practice” but each one separately I can get my mind around and work on. Over time, as I follow the action path I have set for myself…WHAMMO! (imagine big Batman cartoon letters) I have a coaching practice.
All right, I am starting to get going on this, so I will end here with those thoughts, but I highly recommend this idea that Michelle has put forth. I break it into this short mantra:
Big Ideas –> Small Actions –> Big results
Jeremie
July 14th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
You’re amazing, Michelle!
No time to answer the question, but I wanted to let you know that you & your beautiful blog inspire me.
Thank you!
*HUGS*
~ Cassandra
July 14th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
You guys are amazing! Thanks to you all for jumping in & being so friggin candid.
Alexia – You’re planning your first webinar, I’m planning my first group coaching sessions – ain’t it scary? And kinda fun? It really is about taking that first step, or finding some impetus that motivates you. For me, it was my scholarship applications. Reading all of them made me want to help, & put me into action in organizing & offering some group coaching. What could be your motivation for your first webinar?
Laura – Thanks so much for that SARK link! I took a peek but know it’s too much for me to absorb with my limited time, so I’m gonna make sure to check it out later. Love that the first step to cleaning the closet is “Open the closet!” Seems so silly & yet so smart.
Jeremie – Sunday Success = small steps! Sorry, couldn’t help the alliteration right there. I think your blog is a great resource for goal setting – everyone should click on Jeremie’s name & check out his site!
Cassandra – (Blush) Aw shucks ma’am!
July 14th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Ok. I chose a date, found the service I’m going to use, recorded an audioboo (http://audioboo.fm/boos/42691-upcoming-wordpress-screen-cast-july-30) about the webinar, scheduled a blog post for tomorrow. no turning back now!
Now all I need are questions… I love answering questions! so that’s what’s motivating me. I figure doing it one-on-one is fine, but with webinars/screencasts I can reach so many more!
July 14th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Making lists. Just pick up the pen, grab the paper, and make a list of what I need to do so I don’t forget to do any of it.
July 15th, 2009 at 8:29 am
Alexia – That is way more than picking a date! Super amazing. Did it get less scary once you took that first step, or did you get excited/feel like you were on a roll? Would love to hear why you chose to do so much when you only committed to picking a date for your webinar.
Linnea – I live for lists! Hope your mind dump goes well & it gives you some brain room.
July 15th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Alexia – congratulations on linking together a whole stream of related actions.
I find that if I group together similar actions like you did, and focus on that action path completing each item builds motivation and actually gives me energy. So, I end up using energy to do the first action, and instead of feeling tired after the output of energy I feel even more energized. Then I use that energy to complete the next action, and it all starts to snowball into getting a whole bunch of actions done at once.
Hmmmm….time to use the energy from this post to go and write myself a blog post.
Thanks!
July 15th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
You’re on a roll, Jeremie! Do you usually work by starting with a big task & breaking it into small steps right away, or do you decide on the next step as you go?
July 15th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
I do a bit of both. I “backward plan” my goals (another future post) so I write down the final goal result then I write down the action that results in that final achievement. Then I write down the action that would result in that last action, etc. until I have a map all the way back to the very first action I need to take.
Then I start with the first action and work my way up the action path to the final result. Along the way I adjust actions, add actions, and delete actions as needed, so it is a fluid process.
I took the backward planning approach from my education training as it is a way of developing unit plans and lesson plans for teaching.
July 15th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Hi Michelle!!
I’ve been so busy I haven’t had a chance to visit my BYW friend’s and I wanted to stop by and say hi….and GREAT topic!! I’ve been obsessed with trying to NOT be online as much. It’s such a time suck, and while I love surfing and reading and exploring….sometimes ya have to PUT THE MOUSE DOWN and back away from the computer.
Looks like things are going so well over here! Yay!
xo
alex
July 16th, 2009 at 9:41 am
Jeremie – Thanks for the explanation. I really consider you a “goal expert” so was interested in how you make things happen.
Alex – I’m blaming it on a crazy-busy summer, because I’ve been blog deprived too! There’s so much going on that I haven’t been able to read any of my faves. I’ll stop by yours soon, though – I miss my Strawberry Lemonade!
July 22nd, 2009 at 2:56 am
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