Small Actions Build Momentum Without Overwhelm 

Sometimes motivation doesn’t disappear because you don’t want something badly enough. It disappears because you’ve made the starting line impossibly far away.

I recently had a conversation with a client who was so overwhelmed by a prospective project that she was paralyzed with anxiety. She called me asking what to do, how to start, and how was she going to afford all the things?

This possible project was due to a notice she received that said there was some worrisome activity happening and she needed to look into it. She went straight to all the things she needed to do to fix the thing, all the people she required, all the funds she didn’t have, and all the time it was going to take. But she didn’t even know the scope of the project, or even if it was a real thing or not.

She was already planning the logistics, the scramble for funds, and the disruption to her life IF this project became a reality, before she ever knew what was really going on. She skipped past the step of calling the right folks to find out about the activity and went straight to preparing to fix it.

I was able to slow her down a bit and convinced her to make the first call to find out about the activity that prompted it all. When she did, she found out that the activity was from something she had already known about and taken care of. The notice was just from a delay in the company’s communication. So, that possible project just poofed out of existence because it was already complete.

Overwhelming Expectations Stop You Before You Start 

I see a lot of people do this exact thing over and over. Heck, I even do it myself! We set a goal, dream up a BIG Dream, think about a possible project and then start thinking about ALL the things that we need to do. We imagine it has to be some perfect way and if it doesn’t look like that on our first attempt, we flop down in self-imposed failure.

"I want to start…"

Suddenly becomes:

"I need to know all the things, create the plan, change careers, get in shape, repair every relationship, organize the house, start journaling, meditate daily, and become the woman I was apparently supposed to be by Tuesday."

It’s no wonder we don’t get started! Or, if we do, we burn out in the first week!

All those things may be a part of the plan, but it doesn’t need to happen right now.

The hidden expectation underneath it all is that we expect our actions to produce expert results immediately. We expect ourselves to perform at an Olympic level for all things…even if we’re just starting out.

Small Actions Build Momentum, Not Perfect First Attempts 

When you start something new, remember, you’re in kindergarten. You have some experience that you bring to the table, but you’re venturing out into unknown territory. There are new tools, experiences, and lessons to learn. You’re not going to write the quintessential American Novel when you don’t even know how to pick up a crayon.

The first painting won’t be a Van Gogh. The first workout won't transform your body. The first conversation won't repair a relationship. In fact, the first attempt at something you've never done before may be downright terrible. AND this doesn’t mean it isn't working.

There is a famous observation about human planning: “We overestimate what we can do in a day and underestimate what we can do in a year.”

Our daily “To Do” list trails on and on and we get frustrated because it never seems to diminish and we feel like we never get anything done. But if you step back and really look, you’ll see that there are SO MANY things you’ve done in a year.

Great things don’t start with perfect performance the first time. They start with small attempts, making the mistakes that we get to learn from. These grow into strong muscles that can handle the job. Simone Biles didn’t come out of the womb as an Olympic Gold Medalist; she started with somersaults…and probably not very good ones. She had to learn the basics before she could ever learn the skills that eventually put her on an Olympic podium. 

By choosing small, concise, and strategic actions and tasks and getting those 1-3 things done each day, you build the foundation for the next day, the next year, the next decade. And one day, years away, you look up to see that you’re on the podium with a ribbon around your neck.

Find the Next Small Step Forward 

But how do you know what those actions are? You look at the BIG Picture for direction, then find the next indicated thing. Going on a trip? Look around. If all your clothes are in the hip deep laundry pile, that’s probably your next strategic action. Want to paint a masterpiece? Hit Michael’s or Blick’s! Or, maybe, it’s just time to declutter and organize your art space.

My dad always said, “If you want to do something, you have to do something else first.” What is that something? Maybe it’s doing the dishes, making a phone call, writing a letter, or taking a class. I’ve usually found that whatever it is, it’s usually something simple and right there in front of my face just waiting to be seen.

Each time you complete an action, celebrate it! We tend to sweep our small accomplishments under the rug saying, “it’s not a big deal, it’s just <this thing>.” Feeding the kids in the morning is a BIG Deal! Paying that bill you’ve been avoiding is a BIG Deal! Doing that new thing that scares you is a BIG DEAL! Not everybody does it, but you did.

Each moment you complete something, whether it’s easy or hard for you, is a moment you can say, “I did it!” Put that in your Evidence Bucket. You are starting to build some trust within yourself that you can, and will, do the thing, easy or hard.

Each action builds momentum and motivation. Each move forward builds internal trust and confidence. Each small completion reduces overwhelm and creates focus.

Your BIG Dream doesn’t require you to prove how badly you want it by exhausting yourself. You don’t have to change everything by Tuesday, have the entire roadmap figured out, or perform at an Olympic level when you’re still learning how to somersault. You just need to know what you’re moving toward so you can recognize the next indicated thing when it’s right in front of you. 

If you’ve lost sight of that BIG Picture, download my free BIG Dream Visualization. It will help you step away from all the things you think you should be doing and reconnect with what you really want, so you can come back, choose one small action, and start building momentum toward your BIG Dream.