Where to start?
Isn’t that the question that dominates new plans?
Often it is the one question that kills an idea before it even gets started. You have been there, you get overwhelmed with the whole project and something as simple as “where to start” derails the entire endeavor.
Why is this question so important? Why does it seem to matter so much?
If we do not know where we are starting, then we have no way of knowing the path needed to get where we want to be.
There is one big mistake that everyone makes when asking themselves where to start. They try to figure out the first step they need to begin to accomplish their task. This skips the important step of knowing where you are starting.
Knowing where we are today, essentially where we are starting from, is the first step to starting anything. When we know where we are starting from we are able to measure how far we have come and how much further we have to go. Our steps can come into focus because we are clear about the reality of where we are today.
I always suggest to my clients to write out a detailed description of what their life or situation looks like today. Write down everything you can think of there is no detail too small. Do I really need to write down that I am married and have 3 children? That seems trivial.
That is part of the trap! The important things in our lives are the constants. The things we tend to take for granted. We tend to think of the big moments as the ones that matter, the ones that make the most difference in our lives. But those large moments are made up of the small ones that lead up to and contribute to that ultimate success. Also, as you write down the details, some other priorities may come into focus. Let’s say you have the realization that you haven’t been spending any time with your kids and you want to change that. There may be adjustments that need to be made to your present before you ever start your new plan. Maybe there are other considerations you haven’t thought of that need to be a part of your plan.
Where are you at today, emotionally, mentally, physically? What are the dominant themes emotionally, mentally, physically? Are you getting enough sleep, how are you eating, are you happy with who you are, are you happy with your body, do you like the person you see in the mirror? Ask yourself these questions about your job, your house, family, etc. How do you feel if you go into the bathroom and stare at yourself in the mirror? What emotions come up? How do you feel if you think about your family, if you stare at your kids or husband?
Your perspective plays a huge role in your ability to make informed decisions. Perspective is your version of reality, so if your perspective is off then your ability to make good decisions is compromised.
Our mindset is another area that is often not based in reality. We adjust our mindset to be ok with the current reality that we are experiencing. So we settle for what normally would cause us great stress at work, but once we accept it the stress level goes down. When we stop “fighting” for ourselves, or what we know is right, or what we feel is “justice” then life all of a sudden becomes so much easier to live with. When you are getting ready to start a new thing you need something/someone to help you open up your mindset and perceive new possibilities.
This exercise will help to inform your mindset and perspective as you move forward with any plan!
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