Think Small, Go Big

We all have goals that we want to accomplish in life. Perhaps you want to lose 50 pounds, write a book, or start a new business. But tackling such a big goal requires tremendous time and effort, so where do you start? Today, I’m going to talk about how one can systematically take on a new challenge in a way that will ultimately lead to success. In order to succeed at any type of pursuit, starting small and creating a system that can be scaled up is quite crucial.

When it comes to taking on a new venture, we generally turn into two types of people. The first type is one who is always in action mode. As soon as they get a new idea, they hit the ground running faster than Usain Bolt being chased by a cheetah. These types of people often start a lot of projects, but they seldom finish them. The second type of person is the perfectionist. Before they start something new, they need to have every single detail in line, every piece of information possible, and every hair in place, before they try anything. Neither of these two extremes is ideal. For the action oriented person, it’s probably more prudent to take a little bit more time and research your idea more before simply jumping into it. For the perfectionist, it’s probably a good idea to be a little more open to experimentation. That said, the common thread that tethers both of these types together is that both have to start small.

If you have never ran a business before, you should not be thinking about how to make a million dollar business. Perhaps you should focus on making a few extra hundred or thousand dollars per month as a start. Instead of focusing on gaining a million customers, try seeing if you can get one. Damon John, owner of the popular FUBU clothing line and star panelist on the television show “Shark Tank”, said that the first step in creating his business was simply to go out on the street and see if people wanted to buy his shirts. Think small first and create mini victories to build on. Your brain is wired so that getting a little success will propel you to feel more confident the next time you try to take on a challenge that is a little more daunting.

Many Americans are dealing with the problem of overeating and obesity. Perhaps you do need to lose a significant amount of weight, but still you have to start small. If you need to lose 100 pounds, focus first on losing just 10. The things that I am saying sound simple and cliche, but usually the things that are simple make the most sense.

The next part of the equation is to create a system that is scalable. You don’t have a million customers yet, but you should still be working on a system that will enable you to be able to handle a million customers. Start building your website, your email system, your marketing plan, even when you don’t have a ton of customers. Build it in a way that can sufficiently satisfy one customer or a million. With your health, start a system that gets you into a routine. Write out your workout plans, make your meals for the week in advance. Begin with the end goal in mind and,work backwards. If your major end game goal will take you 5 years, figure out what needs to be done in that 5 years to be a success. Then think about what it will take you each year to be a success. Then think about what it will take you each month to be a success. Then each week, and ultimately each day. You can break it down even further if you would like.

Most people wander through life aimlessly with no plans and no goals. Don’t be that person. Make your plan, and follow your plan. People seem to have the idea that following a routine will become monotonous and boring, but I would have to disagree. When you have a plan that builds on gradual and incremental success, it will actually be fun watching your idea grow whilst you watch yourself grow. Always have a big picture idea, and then go small. The journey of 1000 miles indeed starts with one step, and the first step is always the hardest. Are you ready to put that first foot forward?