Show notes
It’s time to define our dreams! Maybe this sounds cheesy but this is what Chapter 6 of Marie Forleo’s Everything is Figureoutable is all about. If you’re new here, welcome to my ongoing experiment. This podcast and blog is about showing up. I show up to myself and my dreams. I speak out loud about what I’m learning, and hope that it helps you do the same. On the Trap of OverthinkingIf there’s one thing that Marie Forleo makes abundantly clear in this chapter, it’s how paralyzing it is to endlessly ponder your dreams and never act. She writes:"I'm still shocked at how much time and energy we humans can waste being indecisive, talking about ideas in our heads or out loud, but never doing anything about them."She then goes on to say "Clarity comes from engagement, not thought."This insight hit home for me. My tendency to learn hard towards action is real. I’d rather leap into a micro-experiment than get stuck in a loop of analysis and anxiety. For me, thinking too much breeds self-doubt and overwhelm (and debilitating depression), but experimenting and doing (even imperfectly) breaks the cycle and brings real learning.Action Is the Shortcut to ClarityPerhaps you are more of a thinker or over-thinker, sometimes mistaking thought for action. While being thoughtful and intentional is important, we should time box this to avoid indecision and analysis paralysis. Marie Forleo urges:"When you're stuck in a paralyzing thought loop of indecision, stop thinking and start doing. Make a move, no matter how tiny. Find or make a way to do a real world experiment. Action is the fastest and most direct route to clarity."I absolutely resonate with this. Sometimes my impulse to act raises questions. I wonder, “am I being strategic enough, or am I just keeping busy?”But experimenting in small bursts lets me reset, recalibrate, and see what truly resonates for me. I notice my own rhythm: sometimes I feel deeply and act impulsively; other times, I need to slow down and check if my actions are meaningful or leading toward burnout.The Power of Getting Clear (for You and Your Brain)Defining what you want isn’t always easy. It’s scary (as F***!). It pulls up waves of anxiety, BUT it’s empowering too. A few weeks ago I was freaking out and then I read Marie’s advice in this chapter:"You wouldn't have the dream if you didn't already have what it takes to make it happen."Read that again to yourself. Read it again. Read it again! Feel that in your heart!Whenever doubts pop up now, I remind myself of this. Neuroscience even backs up the idea that clarity fuels action. Ever heard of the Reticular Activating System (RAS)? It’s essentially your brain helping you filter in the right opportunities and cues, making it far easier to move with intention. Think about how much your brain filters out noise to help you when driving, to literally ensure that you get from one place to your destination! That is your RAS!Here’s a practical tip that changed my routine: I now write my goals down daily. This nudge helps my brain remember what’s important and activates my focus every single day. For me, my vision is more than a revenue number. It’s about creating freedom, spending time with my children, and living my passions and offering my gifts to the world. It takes less than a minute to write down, and I write it down now EVERY DAY!Insights to Action: Your Weekly ChallengeIf you want to try something powerful, here’s what Marie suggest in this chapter’s Insights to Action section:* Spend 15 minutes listing every dream, project, or goal for the next year (multi-year is fine, if you’re serious about making progress now).* Get real: choose the one that matters most and answer honestly. How important is it? How hard? What past attempts have you made, and what will you do differently?* Pick just one goal to start. Remember, supporting habits like health or organization can help your bigger dream, but focus on the goal that matters most.* Make it specific, measurable, and actionable. Think SMART goals. Skip the vague. Go for real, concrete outcomes.* My personal favorite! Write down the next three micro-steps, each under 10 minutes. Then do one, immediately.As Marie (and maybe Mark Twain) says:"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. And the secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks and then starting on the first one."This micro-action approach unblocked me and helped me move forward. When I did this, I got all three tasks done in less than 20 minutes with momentum and clarity growing with each mini-win.If You’re Stuck…If you’re not sure what your dream is, don’t keep pondering it forever. Take one small action, time-boxed for 10 minutes, that moves you toward clarity. Even if it’s just a Google search for a class or jotting down a handful of ideas, get started and see what opens up.This is the messy magic of figuring out what matters and moving toward it, day by day. Keep writing those daily goals and try out this Insights to Action practice alongside me. Let’s make it happen, one tiny experiment at a time.I’ll be back next week with Chapter 7 and some BIG NEWS!Whenever you're ready, I can help you with:* Workshop design and facilitation* Facilitation and workshop training, including AI Opportunity Mapping, Strategy & Design Sprints* Intention setting, planning, and incremental progress for success This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit facilitationartist.substack.com