Keep It Simple – You’re Doing It Wrong!

Last summer, as you know, I took a course with a friend and mentor of mine, Rachel Flower. My goal at the end was to have a group coaching course created and ready to launch.

Well, that didn’t happen. Last week I wrote about a lot of the fears and negative self talk that came up from another friend’s challenge to get startes. I was feeling a little defeated and overwhelmed.

keep it simpleThe steps I took last summer helped me to get a concept, an idea and the steps of a system. I had some trouble with the order of the steps at first, and that kept me stuck for a while. But what was really holding me back was thinking about the time I needed to create a finished product.

The example that Rachel gave and the standard she set was very high. She took us through an eight-part course that had videos, handouts, homework and two phone calls every week. It was pretty intense.

I was going to cut myself a little slack – I am only going to have one phone call a week in the course I am going to run.

Right now, I have none of that content prepared. So you can understand why I was shaking in my boots at the thought of having to create that much content every week on top of my job, my family, my circle, and, you know, sleeping. I’m lucky to get two blog posts out every week!

Rachel came to my rescue though. She reminded me that I don’t have to have all that right out of the gate. It’s OK for me to start with something smaller, and work up to a longer, more intensive course. I can keep it simple.

I don’t think I was intentionally making it complicated as an excuse not to do it. I really was stuck in the thought of having to create after the model I was shown. That was the effect though. The project was so big and overwhelming I just couldn’t seem to get started on it.

Now that I have permission (my own permission, not anyone else’s) to make it simpler, it’s not such a big deal. I still have a bit of planning to do, and then I will be ready to go with it early in the new year.

Where in your life are you making things harder than they need to be? Is it an avoidance technique, either consciously or unconsciously? How can you break it down into smaller steps, or scale the project down so it is not so overwhelming? What can you do today that will move you in the right direction?

And keep your eyes out for an announcement from me coming soon!

Blessings,

Mary