She wrote with certainty. My sweet friend and fellow entrepreneur announced her clear intention with power – and perhaps a hint of dread :) – in her voice.
Knowing how important mindset was to her success, she’d been searching for ways to establish a daily meditation practice that would help her start the day centered and clear.
But as a busy mom AND owner of a super successful, high intensity business, finding space for that Just. Wasn’t. Happening.
So she made a decision.
She would start small: just 10 minutes a day on weekdays. She’d post to her mastermind group online, whether she did it or not. And, she’d text me, her accountability partner, when she was done each day. In fact, we agreed we’d do this with – and for – each other.
Such a small thing. Ten minutes a day. What’s the big deal about that?
Everything.
FIRST: When you’re facing something that feels insurmountable, taking tiny steps is the best way to begin forward movement. And forward movement of ANY kind, is still movement.
And what seems insurmountable can be something as seemingly simple as establishing a daily routine, like this. Or it could be as complex as putting together a national sales team for your bustling start up.
It isn’t about the size of the goal; it’s about the energy behind it.
Does it come easily to you? Or not? Is it something you look forward to? Or dread? If it’s tough, for any reason, allowing yourself to start small is a perfectly effective strategy.
SECOND: Setting a specific date and time, and sharing her commitment with others, meant she’d created an accountability system for herself.
We can set all kinds of goals inside our own mind. And sometimes, we might even reach them.
But when we make a promise to ourselves – and tell others about it – we’re much more likely to keep it.
THIRD: By making the decision to begin, she freed up energy for everything else.
We make dozens, if not hundreds, of decisions in a day. If you’re managing a family, and running a business, your entire life is just one decision after another.
But letting those things hang in the air, undecided, is a giant series of open loops, a long list of things stuck in your head. Exhausting, unfinished business.
And that, my friends, becomes an energy drain of massive proportions.
Should I hire a VA or not?
Is it time to raise my prices, or should I wait a little longer?
Should I pay for that program or wait for something free?
Do I want a salad for lunch? Or yogurt?
When should I launch my new program, spring or fall?
Should I sign my daughter up for softball? or gymnastics?
Should I call that prospect again? Or leave him alone?
Over and over again, day after day. Like your email inbox, it never stops.
Each unmade decision becomes a tiny prick in your energy tank. And although the leak may seem small, after awhile, it all adds up and the tank runs dry.
On the other hand, when you MAKE a decision, you plug the leak, and the energy you have left – holds.
Ahhh…..
Just a few days ago, one of my clients share her excitement about her forward momentum in her business. She’d made some solid decisions about a website and new marketing materials. She’d narrowed down a long list of logo design drafts. And she’d made a decision about her marketing message and the new focus of her business going forward.
It had been a bit of a slog as she worked through those tough tasks in recent weeks. But through the simple power of making decisions, she immediately felt a shift in momentum, and I could hear the energy in her voice.
But there’s more.
Tapping into the energy of decision is a powerful thing, but it’s also an act of leadership.
When my friend made a decision about her daily meditation practice, she was leading her Self. When my client made a decision about the focus of her business and the look of her new visual brand, she was leading her company.
And when you’re the CEO, your willingness to lead your company where you want it to go is the absolute foundation of your success.
So the next time you find yourself dancing back and forth between one idea and another, stuck in the middle and unable to move forward, step into your role as leader of your business – and leader of your Self.
And decide.
You may also like:
Why You Need to Find and Follow Your North Star
How to Raise Your Prices (So Your Clients Will Thank You!)
How to get yourself to do what (you think) you cannot do.
5 Things to Ask Yourself Before You Hire a Coach
Photo Credit: Michael Napoleon on Flickr