Big goals, small steps
I know you have a dream. I know that this dream is very important to you—and that it terrifies you.
Dreams promise so much joy and expansion; at the same time, they activate our deepest fears, like "What if I fail?" and "What will people think of me?" They create a push and a pull at the same time, which can result in a state of tension that leaves us perpetually stuck: desperately wanting to move forward and desperately afraid about what will happen if we do. If you have ever sat down, determined to take a step towards your dream, but then found yourself procrastinating or finding something else to do—you know exactly what this feels like.
You have to be a little sneaky with your dreams. You have to trick yourself, just a little bit, to overcome the fear. One of the best ways to do this is to stop thinking about the dream itself and instead think about the smallest step you could take today.
If your dream is to have your own business, the smallest step could be... looking up if your domain name is free.
If your dream is to find a new job, the smallest step could be... finding your old resume and printing it out to figure out what needs to be updated.
If your dream is to make a difference in the world, the smallest step could be... brainstorming a list of the issues you'd most like to help with.
Dreams are only achieved by taking small steps, not just because they make dreams achievable, but because small steps make dreams approachable.
The Definitive Guide to Happiness
A groundbreaking new approach based on a decade’s worth of research and brought to life with beautiful artwork, New Happy shows you the proven path to happiness.
