I love thinking about where I want my life and business to be in the future. I guide clients through visualizations all the time so they can get a glimpse of what’s possible for them, too. It’s so fun to hear the excitement in their voices as they allow themselves to dream big!
Picturing your dream life and leaning into the feelings you want to experience can be incredibly motivating, not to mention a powerful manifestation tool. But what happens after the visualization is just as – if not more! – important.
The challenge becomes: can you allow this vision to pull you forward, and be a source of inspiration without judging your current reality, and becoming obsessed with all of the “how”s?
Trust me, I love having a plan! I’m a planner by nature and my brain rests easy when it feels like everything is under control.
Except nothing is ever truly under our control! We have no way of knowing what our journeys will entail, what obstacles we’ll encounter, what new interests will develop (or old interests will fade), and who we’ll evolve into amidst all of it.
Sure, it makes sense know what direction you’re headed in and move forward with intention. I fully support that! But I see way too many people get hung up on the details of how they want every little thing to play out in the coming weeks, months, and even years.
Think of it like planning a trip. You can map out where you want to go, book hotels and excursions, and make reservations at restaurants. You have the ability to do all of that ahead of time, but you have no way of knowing what people you’ll meet, what weird travel mishaps will occur, what the weather will do, or what specific memories you’ll form along the way. And that’s part of the fun, isn’t it?
So, yes, we could map out the world’s most in-depth plan of how, exactly, you anticipate getting from point A to point Z. But here’s why that won’t serve you:
1) Your plan will become irrelevant. So much can change in a year – or even a few months! You want your business to be able to grow with you, right? That means you must be willing to reevaluate, optimize, and pivot along the way. It’s how you keep getting better. The perspective you have now will continue to expand and open your eyes up to new approaches or opportunities, and that’s a good thing!
2) You have to leave room for trial-and-error. Getting too attached to a specific method or “how” will lead to disappointment if it doesn’t work out as you hoped. The last thing I want you to do is interpret this as meaning anything about you or your potential. What worked for someone else might not work for you, and that’s okay. You can (and should) expect some trial-and-error as you test different approaches, and I recommend entering any new business endeavor or project with this expectation.
3) Your brain can only handle so much. Becoming obsessed with details too far out in the future takes mental space and energy away from the details that are within your reach right now. You don’t have to have all of the answers – just the next step. And despite what your brain might try and tell you, you always know the next small step.
Let that last line sink in for a minute, because I want to bust the lie that you can’t start until you have it all figured out. With that mindset, you could stay in a pattern of overwhelm and not taking action forever. This would be devastating, because I know you feel a calling to make a big impact and maximize your life. I also know that withholding your gifts and what you have to offer the world feels terrible (been there!).
So, are you willing to release your attachment to having all of the steps figured out?
I get that you’re ready to get the ball rolling, so here’s a “how” you can wrap your head around: do something.
Do ONE small thing that will move your business forward.
The worst thing you can do when you’re overwhelmed is nothing. Truly.
The best thing you can do is anything productive. Not scrolling on Instagram. Not checking your email for the 20th time. Not online shopping or laundry or whatever you tend to do when you’re looking for a distraction.
Ask yourself right now: what’s one small, tangible, and actionable step that would move the needle in my business right now?
Is it sending an email? Buying a ticket for a networking event? Practicing your elevator pitch? Outlining a new workshop or blog post?
See what comes to mind, and start there!
It really can be that simple :)
To your success,
P.S. If you're still feeling overwhelmed and could use some help determining next steps, I'm happy to set up a complimentary mini-session to get you back on track! Simply send me a message here and I’ll be in touch soon :)
