How to Begin

The beginning of the new year is a great time to begin new ventures and set plans for the months ahead. However, getting started on a new task can be difficult and overwhelming. Even when it’s a task that you’re excited about accomplishing, how to begin is often the first question we ask ourselves. 

Some steps that can help:

Break down the overall goal into small, manageable chunks. For example, if you want to run a marathon this year but you’ve never gone running before, then you will need to start small and build up to the big goal. You might create a running calendar for yourself that includes running days that increase in distance gradually so that you can prepare your body for the full marathon. 

Set realistic expectations. If you’ve never been running before, then to plan on running a marathon next month isn’t realistic. You might want to start by getting fitted for good running shoes and go for a long walk. 

Create a roadmap to reach your goal. Visualizing the end goal can help you determine what steps you need to take to get there. If you want to run a marathon in your area, you can find a race and look at the actual map and get familiar with the route. This can help prepare your mind for the day of the race. 

You can accomplish your goals when you plan ahead and use different strategies until you find what works for you.

Try This

Draw your pathway to your goal! 

• Create a line on your paper that begins somewhere on the left hand side and curves its way around the page until it reaches the right hand side.
• On the left is the beginning, and on the right is the goal.
• If you were halfway to your goal, what would be there? Illustrate or write this on the path. 
• Break it down even more. What would need to happen before you get to the halfway point of your goal?
• When you have marked all the points on your pathway to your goal, think about how much time you will need to reach each point. This will help you set realistic timelines. 

References:

• Getting Good at Just Starting a Difficult Task