One of our favorite thought leaders, BRIAN JOHNSON, recently wrote about the concept smallifying.
In LITTLE BETS, author Peter Sims says, “The key is to take a larger project or goal and break it down into smaller problems to be solved, constraining the scope of work to solving a key problem, and then another key problem. This strategy, of breaking a project down into discrete, relatively small problems to be resolved, is what Bing Gordon, a cofounder and the former chief creative officer of the video game company Electronic Arts, calls smallifying.”
Of course, smallifying is exactly what a coach does when they support a client to dream a big dream and then break down the “how-to’s” into manageable parts. Creating a Vision statement is exciting, exhilarating, and invigorating…until it feels overwhelming, unreachable, and unrealistic.
When a client moves from the “I really want this!” stage to the “I don’t know how to get it!” stage, it is though goal setting, or smallifying, that confidence is built.
“I can do it!” comes from the careful design of short-term (three-month) and near-term (weekly) plans that consider:
1. The motivation behind the goal (a strong and personal connection to the Vision)
2. The elements that need to be in place to increase success (supportive people, habits, support systems)
3. A clear behavioral plan (how, when, who, where, how often?)
4. A high level of confidence (“I know I am ready, willing and able to do this!”)
5. A growth-mindset (a willingness to experiment, learn and try again)
So, go small to grow BIG!
“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now” – Alan Lakein