Happy Friday:
I hope you’re doing really well.
When the plan overwhelms you, breathe. If just looking at everything you have to do stresses you out (whether it’s an ambitious plan, a massive project, or too many open fronts), remember: stop and breathe.
Then, follow this principle: “Divide and conquer.” I’m sure that big undertaking you want to take on can be broken down into smaller tasks you can tackle bit by bit. Right?
Today I want to suggest an exercise you can do right at your desk or a nearby table. Grab paper and a pen. Ready?
Okay, now take a look at this image.
Let’s say you have a challenge ahead of you, one that’s been sticking in your throat, that you’d like to resolve.
Imagine something is holding you back from putting yourself out there. You can’t quite define what makes you different. So you can’t communicate and show the world what your differentiating value is.
Okay. Now breathe and reflect. If you wanted to map out a series of deliberate actions to get there — that is, to define a differentiation strategy — where would you start?
A good starting point is to write down exactly what the challenge is. That lets you put into words what’s getting stuck and how you feel when it happens.
It might be something like “I don’t know where to start” (well, you’re already starting, so be patient with yourself). Or “I’m scared to put myself out there” (okay, then weigh up whether taking that step forward would really benefit you, and make it easy on yourself by starting small or asking professionals who can give you guidance to improve).
Maybe it’s “I can’t attract people who see what I post.” Or the challenge in front of you is that you’re capturing the attention of an audience that isn’t who you actually want to reach.
Any doubts so far? If several challenges come up, stick with the main one you feel is holding you back right now.
Once you’ve got it, think about what you’ve done so far to achieve that goal, and write down what’s worked best and what hasn’t worked as well. This will help you look for alternatives and make use of what you’ve already learned.
If this is the first time you’re facing this challenge, try to find a similar situation you’ve been in before and write down what happened. With that shift, you’ll dig up memories where you’ll discover hidden resources you didn’t remember you had.
Okay, take a few more breaths when you’re done, read back everything you’ve written, and look inside yourself for one small step you could take in the next three days to get into action. And go after what you want. Got it?
Great! Now commit to doing it and write it down in your planner or calendar, because what isn’t scheduled doesn’t exist. Go for it.
With these small actions, you always get something: results or lessons. And both are valuable.
Tell me if you learned something in the process. Was there anything that surprised you? I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments. Thanks for reading!
