Remember those amazing New Year, new you, plans you made? Have you already convinced yourself that you don't have what it takes to achieve the goals you set?
If so, listen up my little engine that could. I don't THINK you can achieve your goals. I know you CAN.
How am I so sure? Because I've been where you are -- wallowing in self-doubt and bathing in fear.
Years ago when I started my coaching business, I told my friends that this venture was perfect for me. I'd tested the waters of entrepreneurship a time or two before, but this time was different.
I didn't need biz partners because, as a life and business coach, I could control my destiny. All I had to do was use the incredible skills I already had. And BOOM! I'd be the next Tony Robbins -- the guy who went from infomercial pitchman to big-time life coach.
Bullshit!
Setting that humongous goal was the biggest mistake I ever made. I admit it. My goal scared the F out of me! I busted my ass every single day. But I still couldn't reach that level.
What was I doing wrong?
And then it hit me like the beat in Meghan Trainor's song "All About That Bass."
I was a dreamer who only saw the big picture. I was starry-eyed about Tony Robbins' success but failed to consider the gazillion things he had to do to become the "father of the life coaching industry."
My goal was so big that I couldn't see the very next step in front of me.
I needed to break down my gigantic goal into tiny steps to stardom. Because when your goal is so over the top that it scares the F out of you, the end seems a million miles away. I see most people tap out and throw in the towel right here.
She wants to open a boutique. He wants to launch a new business. She wants to book six-figure speaking gigs. They all want to travel the world and live the life they've always dreamed about.
But they're stuck in "wanting" mode. That's when I step in to show them how taking just a tiny step can lead to big successes.
A Kick in the Ass for You
Taking risks and setting goals that scare the F out of you are great motivators. But keep your big goals tucked away as your vision, all the while making tiny, totally achievable goals every step of the way.
Why is breaking down big goals so important? Let's say on Jan. 1, you vowed to work out every day to lose 20 pounds by spring. You go hard for two weeks. Then you get busy and miss a day or two. Before you know it, you've given up.
You failed to achieve your goal, and you feel like crap, leaving you demotivated and paralyzed.
Now, what if instead of vowing to work out every day, you shoot for once a week. Sure it's not what Shaun T would've suggested, but you KNOW you can stick with it. You've been going faithfully for three weeks and are ready to try for twice a week.
This is where the momentum kicks in ... when you achieve that tiny goal, you feel accomplished! Each little achievement sets you up for the next goal, and with every win you step further outside your comfort zone. And you grow from there.
Your first run shouldn't be a marathon.
Your first climb shouldn't be Mt. Everest.
Setting super-sized goals can have you sitting in the corner sipping wine at the "what-if" party. You want to get on the dance floor and bust a move, but your legs feel like JELL-O. But breaking your big goals down into tiny pieces will have you dancing with the stars. (Literally!)
My Final Thought
I still set big goals that scare the F out of me. But now I know what to do.
I write them down. Then I ask myself: what's the easiest next step to achieving those goals. I also question whether my goal is attainable and realistic. And sometimes I have to focus on simply taking the very next logical step, no matter how small it is.
Remember my goal of being like Tony Robbins? Well, now I'm all about being Laura Ann Allahverdi and building an empire through my online program Kick Ass at Life Bootcamp.
On a daily basis, I coach people on how to move out of their own way and get on their true path. Whether they are trying to reach $10k months in business, ditch their corporate jobs or just be happy, I help people realize their potential so they can live fully. I knock them into their awesomeness.
I'd say being Laura is pretty damn great.
So maybe your business isn't where you want it to be. Or you've given up on your goals of writing a book, traveling the world, or opening your dream boutique.
Think about this: What's the smallest very next logical step you can take to get back on track?
Tell me in the comments below:
1.How can you turn your vision into bite-size pieces? What is the very next step you can take that feels easy to you?
2.When you achieve that very next step, how will you CELEBRATE?
The road to success can be a magical ride. And it's all about the journey. Make it an incredible one.
Laura Ann Allahverdi is a Personal Life Coach, Biz Strategist & Game Changer. Founder of www.lauraslifecoaching.com, her mission is to bring you to living beyond what you believe you are capable of. That means a life of passion and purpose. A resident New Yorker, she works one on one with private clients all over the world to get them unstuck and creating life they way they really want it. She can quickly get to the root of the matter and bring clients to see things differently. "When you think differently, you do things differently and then you get different results." Get your FREE Audio + Digital E-Guide to Getting Out of Your Own Way