Going after your dreams is not for the faint of heart! There seems to be challenge after challenge, even when it’s a “small dream.” Just the fact that you are risking something new, or stepping out of your comfort zone can make you want to run the other direction or shrink back when things aren’t going perfectly right. All of us who are dreamers and doers—we figure out pretty quickly how things don’t go “perfectly right” most of the time.
Last summer, I went to a running clinic and had my gait evaluated. The UVA Speed Clinic’s plan is supposed to help me run faster. It turns out that their three main recommendations apply to Big Ideas as well as running goals.
- Lean Forward. In running, this transfer of weight means each stride is propelling you forward. Being erect or leaning back causes a braking effect. When I start feeling tired, a slight shift forward makes me run faster and (the best part) it feels like less effort.
In real life, when we start to feel resistance, the natural reaction is to back off. “I should take a little break.” Have you ever said that? Then you find 30 small busy-work tasks to distract you from what you really should be doing? Procrastination is a killer, but it’s a common subconscious reaction to a daunting task. When the going gets tough, that’s the time to lean forward and press into the work.
- Avoid the side-to-side movement. In running you want to have everything moving straight forward and backward without the hips swaying side to side or a foot kicking out and around.
In real life, this is where distractions come in. Bright shiny objects that look appealing because they are new and exciting, but they take us off the path of our Big Idea. When these distractions come along, make a deliberate choice to stay focused on what matters most. Think about it, if you wanted to grow tomatoes, would you scatter the fertilizer on all the other plants and grass around your garden and not on the tomato plants? You can always make a note to revisit the appealing idea later.
- Do the Exercises. I was given a list of daily exercises to strengthen very specific muscles. Not the obvious hamstrings and quads, but the smaller muscles, the ones that will stop the side-to-side movement. Muscles that I didn’t know existed until I started working them.
In real life, sharpen the skills that will specifically move you toward your Big Idea. Everyone might be talking about the newest trend in social media, but if none of your clients are on that platform, you don’t need to drop everything and immerse yourself in it (yet). On the other hand, if your target clients are using it, then it’s a skill you ought make time to learn.
So, as you work on your Big Idea, remember:
- Lean In
- Avoid the Side-to-Side Movement
- Do Your Exercises
Which one of these resonates most with you?
