This is Your 2-Minute Warning
I am more into sports that don't require jerzees (like competitive dance, cheer, gymnastics, etc.). This could be a preference developed because I live in Cleveland and have endured many Browns' seasons. So while I don't care for most sports deeply, I do care about you reaching your goals.
One of the most common feelings that we must endure when we take on something new is the feeling of overwhelm. We want to get that next level in our career, but how do we make today's obstacles into opportunities? We want to earn multiple 6 figures, but we how do we get to $100K first? We want to change jobs, but how do we know when it’s the right role?
We ask “how” and then we may delay our progress. We want a sure thing, so we may take a bunch of courses or read a bunch of self-help instead of acting and failing, because our brain tells us if we fail, we will die.
I am totally guilty of this.
Here’s the thing though, we never really know HOW until we have TRIED, and usually have made the mistakes and corrected ourselves. That's how we learn.
Think of walking in platforms, using Excel, putting on eyeliner, or making a pizza- you didn’t know HOW at first. But you tried. And you stumbled in those shoes, you forgot to set print margins, you got liner on your brow line, and you burnt the crust. The point is that you tried. And now you know how.
If you find yourself dwindling in progress as you take on the next big thing, here’s what I want you to do:
-??????Break down the big goal into the smallest actions possible.
-??????Don’t worry about having the perfect action, just pick one. Perfection is the enemy of progress - specifically when you're just trying something new. Taking action means producing an output. It doesn’t count to consume a podcast or read another book on how to take action.
-??????Give yourself 2 minutes to try that action and commit to this 2 minutes of work every day.
-??????Have a new mantra and put it on your phone: I will know how, when I try now.
-??????Create time for your 2-minutes of action. Schedule the action in your day and be intentional.?For example: At 8:30 a.m. I share a LinkedIn post on a topic that is relevant to existing and potential clients .
I know you’re thinking, 2 minutes is lame, and you can’t do anything in 2 minutes. But here’s the thing, you’re learning how to show up for yourself and building discipline.
Discipline is a muscle you strengthen, not something you’re born with, so you have to practice. You are teaching your brain that you won’t die if you try. And maybe, just maybe, you start on your 2-minute task, and you get engaged and you add 10 minutes without even thinking about it. And that 10-minute-block turns into an hour, and that hour turns into a website (or new job, or better resume, or a page of a book) eventually.
So go do that thing and tell me how it went after you did it.
This is your 2-minute warning.