When In Doubt, Map It Out

You are the only person who can create purposeful and lasting change in your life. This realization can be both daunting and empowering. Big dreams are often overwhelming﹘ sometimes so much so that we feel paralyzed by the perceived enormity of our goals.

The good news is you don’t have to do it all in one day. You just have to take small, consistent steps in the right direction. Every colossal project that has ever been completed has been broken up into manageable steps that can be achieved one by one. Today, I’m going to discuss some strategies for harnessing clarity to make real change in your life, one day at a time.

Defining your destination.

Being able to envision what you want to accomplish is the very first step in changing your current situation. The clearer your goals, the more likely you are to one day reach them. Vague aspirations such as “I want to be more successful” or “I want to make a bigger impact” can leave you without much direction.

Specific goals like “I want to be making 25% more per year in the next two years” or “I want to bring in three new clients in the next eight months” are more focused. These types of visions give you the parameters you need to map out your smaller milestones.

Mapping out your route.

The path to success isn’t one massive stride but a myriad of small movements in succession. It’s a thousand little things that are attainable and even sustainable. You just have to take one step at a time. Creating a practical plan for your dreams may not seem exciting, but as you check off each item, exciting things will begin to unfold.

The more organized you can be about your actionable steps, the better. Picture your overall goal; what needs to be done first? Can you identify significant milestones along the way? Manageable steps with ambitious but attainable deadlines will help you continue to move forward, even if you break the journey down into the smallest increments possible.

Naming your “Why.”

So far, I’ve basically told you that to reach your goals you have to know what you want and make a to-do list to get there. While these are essential, there are a couple other vital ingredients to make it to your destination. One of them is knowing your “why.”

It’s been found that individuals who are crystal clear on their reason for wanting to achieve more for themselves are less likely to give up than those who aren’t. Review the changes you want to make in your life and then ask yourself why you desire those things. Try to tap into your heart space—the emotions attached to your aspirations.

Your “why” is often connected to your life’s purpose. We all want to feel like our time here on earth has meaning. That may sound too deep for the goal you have in mind, but I encourage you to dig deeper. I’ve found that working towards fulfillment is far more powerful than working towards a higher salary or a new title on your business card.

Extinguishing self-doubt.

It’s not humanly possible to feel confident every day, all the time. Even after years of championing myself, recognizing my strengths, and working on my weaknesses, I still have moments of doubt. But I’ve also found ways to help extinguish that doubt.

I’m a huge advocate of having a “you” list. This is a running list of your strengths. If you don’t already do this, start today. Document individual instances that demonstrate your value. Did you go above and beyond to meet client expectations? Write it down. Did a co-worker send you an email thanking you for your contributions? Keep it.

Not only will documenting these things help boost your confidence on days when you’re doubting yourself, they will also serve as evidence when you champion yourself in the future.

Knowing this is possible.

I want to leave you with a few words of encouragement. Remember that this is doable. Take it one day at a time to build momentum and positive habits. Stay as consistent as you can, and you will surely reach your potential.