Tackling Big Goals Step By Step
I have two new puppies in my home, Booker and Mack. It’s been a long time since we’ve had puppies…and observing them grow and change before my eyes has been fascinating, exhilarating, and EXHAUSTING.
As a dog lover, I’m bowled over (in good ways and not so good ways!) by their curiosity and the lightning fast way they learn, grow, and figure things out. What I thought was a simply ingenious way to keep them out of my garden proved childsplay (puppyplay?) for these rascals. How in the world did they figure out a workaround that fast?!
As an entrepreneur and process guru, I can’t help but be struck by the similarities between puppies and business owners, goal setters, and achievers. I know that sounds implausible, but go with me.
Tackling Big Tasks
Many of my entrepreneur clients come to me when they’ve hit a wall. They have big dreams and lofty goals but have no idea how to get from idea to reality.
It seems too big. “Where do I even start?” they ask.
Or they know where to start and begin with gusto and enthusiasm. Mack feels the same way when he sets out to tear up my favorite shoe to shreds. But like him, after the initial enthusiasm wanes, entrepreneurs get overwhelmed and frustrated.
It’s harder than they thought. They try to get to the end result too fast and wind up frustrated, overwhelmed, and stuck. They’re disappointed that the end goal is still so far away.
When this happens to Mack, he simply takes a snooze and wakes up refreshed, ready to move on to the next target of destruction.
Business owners don’t have that luxury. Moving on to the next goal or dream without ever achieving results gets you nowhere in a hurry.
Step by Step, Literally
The puppies want to get up on our bed in the worst way. They jump and claw at the bedside over and over again, undaunted by the huge goal they’ve set for themselves. Finally they give up, crying in frustration and exhaustion until, broken down by the wicked combination of cute-and-pathetic, we reach down to pick them up. Time after time after time.
We got tired of this routine and invested in a set of stairs to set at the foot of the bed.
Now this didn’t solve the problem initially. Although it made the monumental task seem more doable, learning to navigate the stairs was still a big ask.
We broke out the praise and the treats and tackled the task literally one step at a time. We squealed, “C’mon! You can do it!” and laid treats on the bottom step, working our way up. The result? Success. The puppies now climb up on our bed easily all by themselves. And we have a new problem to tackle another day.
Breaking Goals Down Into Doable Steps
It will come as no surprise that the big goals and dreams you set for yourself can be conquered with the step method, too!
But how do you know how to break down big goals?
Follow these tips:
Start with a high level perspective.
Most people try breaking goals down by trying to come up with the step to tackle first. It sounds counterintuitive, but I recommend instead taking a bird’s eye view first.
Big tasks and goals have pretty obvious steps that need to be accomplished.
Begin by making a list of all those steps
Then, zoom in to each of those steps. Consider each step individually - can those be broken down into smaller tasks?
Keep doing this until the tasks cannot be broken down any smaller. You may *think* you’ve gone as far as you can go, but doing the next step may surprise you.
Think about how long each task will take. Note your time estimation next to each task.
As a rule of thumb, the human brain can only be optimally productive for 90 minutes. Use this to your advantage! If you estimate that a task is going to take 4 hours, it’s a signal that the task is still too big and needs to be broken down into smaller chunks until you get to at least 90 minutes. Shorter is better!
Click here and here to read more about your Ultradian Rhythm, the point at which your attention span yells, “Uncle!”
Break down those longer duration tasks even further. Don’t resist this idea by telling yourself you’d rather see a shorter list of things to accomplish! You’ll be able to decide in the moment if your energy levels and brain power are enough to keep going on to the next.
It’s better to have a hundred steps that will get you to the top. If you feel like it, you can leap them ten at a time! But coming up to one that’s too big and zaps all your strength slows your momentum.
Beware of Self Sabotage
Why, oh why, when things really start to hum, do we get in our own way??
It’s an unfortunate fact that many of us, despite feeling great about conquering many of the steps leading to our goals, begin to get a bit uncomfortable.
There are loads of theories about this foible of human nature, but one that resonates with me is described as the “upper limit problem” by author Gay Hendricks in his book The Big Leap. Hendricks describes this as an unconscious ceiling we place on our comfort zone. We may have set this ceiling through past experiences, even as far back as childhood. We learned long ago that pushing past our comfort zone isn’t always safe, so our unconscious minds do things that keep us safely in our boxes.
These self-sabotaging behaviors can come in many forms, but Hendricks warns to be on the lookout for these common feelings that cause them:
Worrying
Fear and self doubt as you begin conquering each step
Guilt over the success you’re achieving
These feelings often show up in these self-sabotaging behaviors:
Blaming and criticizing others, even those unrelated to your business (family!)
Getting sick or hurt - this one is very common
Squabbling
Hiding true feelings that should be expressed to others
Not keeping agreements
Keeping significant truths to yourself
Deflecting
Paralysis - getting stuck, not moving forward
How Savvy Maven Can Help
As a productivity coach, I have the benefit of distance from the day-to-day of your business. That distance enables me to see where a task is too big and needs to be broken down or where you are experiencing paralysis or other sabotaging behaviors that keep you from success.
I help clients think about projects in terms of the very next thing they need to accomplish in order to move the project forward. I can give you the support you need to conquer each step.
That means something different to each person. The right balance of encouragement, push, and accountability helps tremendously. And my fresh eyes can spot those sneaky self-sabotaging behaviors before you do, helping you to ward them off and raise your comfort zone ceiling.
Of course, if you need me to break out the praise and the treats to help you tackle each step, Booker and Mack will tell you that really works!
Breaking steps down into small, doable tasks does wonders for your entrepreneurial mojo! Standing in the shadow of a huge dream or goal is intimidating, but conquering each step gives you quick success, feelings of accomplishment, high energy, and the enthusiasm you need to take the next step in the process.
Before you know it, you’ll be as proud of yourselves as Booker and Mack are when they burrow beneath the covers!