Sital's Blog

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

-  Confucius

If you’re looking to achieve something big in 2010 or to make a change this year, don’t do too much planning and thinking.

When it comes to career management, planning is over rated. So is thinking. Over-planning and over-thinking usually overwhealms you and creates a disease called ‘Perfection Paralysis.’ Your desire to have things perfectly planned out paralyses you into taking no action and so effectively ensures you make no changes whatsoever.

A better strategy is to be clear about where you are heading and then simply taking the first step as below:

1. Decide on your ONE BIG THING for 2010

I’m going to write and publish my first book this year. Like most big goals it’s exciting, but also slightly scary.

How about you? What’s your *big thing* for this year?  The thing that’s exciting yet still scary?

Are you going to change jobs, become a freelancer, change careers, target that promotion or start that home based business you’ve been speaking about? Are you going to get smarter and work shorter hours? Are you going to take a sabatical, move abroad or plan your retirement?

2. Take the first step

The key to achieving big changes is to step out boldly and take a first step (without having it all ‘worked out’ in advance). Announcing that I’m writing a book is a first step for me – I haven’t got it all worked out – but instinctively know that it will work out if I take a first step in the right direction and totally commit to it. But if I sit around trying to ‘plan’ it as I have for the last year, it will never get off the ground.

So instinctively, what would be a good first step for you in achieving your *big thing* this year?

Who would you call? Who can you email? Who would you meet up with? Which book would you buy (and read)? What course or programme could you join?

Okay, no go ahead and take that first step.

3. Watch, observe and listen

When you boldly step out and take the first step – opportunities, ideas and resources ‘show up.’ So listen, watch and observe. And then (you guessed it) just take the next step…..and the next step….and the next step..

As the ‘German Shakespere’ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said:

“The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”

So whatever your big goals and objectives are for the new year, don’t worry about having everything figured out before starting your journey. If you know roughly the direction you are heading, simply focus on beginning the journey with that single first step.