Nudging a Boulder
Ever feel like there’s that one thing in your life that feels massive, insurmountable, overwhelming? That one project you’ve been wanting to do for years… The one resolution you’ve been aiming for but just haven’t taken the leap? Do you find your inner voice screaming, “What’s wrong with you that you’ve obsessed about this for years?” “Why are you such a lazy procrastinator?” (Does your voice talk to you in the third person too?...)
Real shifts come through tiny baby steps
Here’s the thing. It might feel like it just takes one massive push to get that boulder in motion. But it’s not. Often, the only consistent way to make real shifts is through tiny, baby steps done consistently over time, (for an average of… 66 days.) The thing is, we often think of our Boulder as one thing, when it is, in fact, often comprised of a multitude of smaller pieces. Can’t figure out why you aren’t getting back on the yoga mat? Isn’t it just about deciding to? No. It’s figuring out what type of activity you’ll do, and whether it’s on your own, or with a partner, or at a gym. And if it’s the latter, then It’s looking into gyms, and finding what is in your price range, in your area, with appropriate hours. Then it’s figuring out your schedule. Then it’s making sure you have the clothes, water bottle, and whatever else you need.
The 20 Second Rule
Heard of the “twenty second rule”? Make your daily tasks twenty seconds easier for yourself - set out your child’s lunchbox and containers the night before. Pick out your workout clothes. Decide what you’ll have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The good news is- once you nudge your Boulder into motion, it picks up speed on its own and starts rolling almost effortlessly - so much so, that I often find myself urging clients a few months in to honor how far they’ve come - to recognize it - because it begins to just feel like the new normal.
So here’s what to do:
Decide exactly what your Boulder is. (or pick ONE!)
Break it down into tiny parts—I suggest pieces that take no more than twenty minutes
Put one, and only one, tiny piece on your calendar for tomorrow
And the next day, and the next day
Mark the day on your calendar that the pieces will be complete, and your boulder will be in motion
Tell someone else (making your goal public, with the right people, can dramatically increase your change dramatically of following through)
Do it right now.
Acknowledge your efforts. Your are human. You are beautiful.