You often hear that “Massive action is the cure all”. I love this line almost as much as the “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius” scene in The Gladiator. The “massive action” concept is appealing and has become a staple of performance coaching. When you’re driven, intelligent, ambitious and all these attributes have served you well in business, you want to embody it. Shifting your focus towards action gets you out of your head and, presumably, out of inertia. 
 
Or so you think…
 
How often have you felt ultra-stuck and managed to leap to “massive action”?… I might have to repeat this ad nauseum: this is not a Hollywood movie. Denzel is not going to save the day!
 
Most times, the SMALLEST possible action in the RIGHT direction is enough. It’s the key out of inertia, feeling stuck, not being able to move forward. Why? Because it requires the least amount of effort and is enough to kick-start the machine all over again.
 
Now, what is the trick? Well, I tested this notion, and the feedback was “Ok Lina, I understand how this could work…but it feels like it lacks ambition…How do I bring myself to lower expectations so much?…” 
 
When you’re an over-performer/achiever etc. one of the MOST difficult thing you’ll ever be faced with is to start small. And build from there, let it compound, one or two degrees at a time…This technique is so easy that it’s challenging. It’s so feasible that it’s scary. And yet, that’s where the gold is.
 
So next time you feel stuck in Inertia Land, try asking yourself: “What is the smallest possible step I can take now to move forward?” Once you figure this out, make it even smaller. And then, make it smaller again. That’s where you start. 
 
#businesscoaching #twodegreeshift #entrepreneurship #investment #finance #smalleststeps
 
PS – Agree? Disagree? Love Gladiator too? Don’t hesitate to comment/share/screenshot/print/send by owl message to someone you love and might benefit from it.