A year ago, I wrote a post called “Three Ideas to Get You Moving if You’re Putting Something Off.”
We had more than 240 comments and more than 200 emails in response to that post–most likely because it is so common to procrastinate those “scary” things we feel we’re meant to do.
It’s now been a year since that post, and I want to encourage each of us to reflect on what we wanted a year ago, consider what we’ve accomplished in the past year, and figure out what we need to do now.
In the podcast (linked above!), I went back and read that post, so you can click over and do the same, if you’d like—or you can listen to the podcast. At the time, the thing I was putting off was writing/podcasting/emailing to the LearnDoBecome community. I decided to create something new once a week for 12 weeks and then report back.
Now think for a moment—what were YOU putting off a year ago? What was that thing you wanted so badly, but you were afraid to do?
Let’s reflect on what happened with that.
For me, it turns out I actually didn’t create something once a week. I honestly don’t know what I was thinking. We were in the middle of moving, there were a million things going on, and I felt so depleted.
Now, we HAVE published 32 posts or podcasts at LearnDoBecome in the past year—but not all by me! I’m learning that I don’t have to be the only person creating at LearnDoBecome. Our team is amazing, and they have been helping to make things happen.
And although I didn’t do things the way I intended, over the past year I have accomplished a lot. We all have. And I think it’s helpful to sit down and reflect on all those things. (If you haven’t seen Danielle Porter’s “Happy Success List,” you’ll want to check that out!)
So I made a little list of Happy Successes of my own from the past year. I encourage you to do the same. Here are mine, if you’d like some ideas:
- Family moved
- Said goodbye to my mom
- Learned to sleep
- Big STEP Live event
- Big promotion of Michael Hyatt’s Best Year Ever and our launch of Life Architecture Beta
- Launch of STEP for Students
- Big expansion at Power of Moms – plus lots of podcasts over there!
- Grew our team at LearnDoBecome
- Big investment in coaching – traveled to multiple conferences
- New volunteer positions for Eric and I at church, working with the teenagers
- A lot of mindset work
- Plus the everyday work of taking care of myself, my family, the business, and doing my best to connect with God on a regular basis.
If you can pause and take time to record your own list, I think it will help you to feel better!
Okay, so once we have that list and we give ourselves a little pat on the back for all we DID do, I think it’s helpful to reassess that initial goal we had and ask ourselves, “What do we need to do now?”
If you knocked that previous goal out of the park, then it’s time to step on to the next one.
But if you are STILL putting it off (because I get it!), I’ve prepared a few questions for us to consider.
QUESTION 1: What is the BELIEF that is keeping you from doing it?
Here’s why I am afraid to create posts and podcasts here at LearnDoBecome…
I believe that if I write about the things that I truly love and if I share my heart, I will be rejected.
The thought that comes into my mind is, “People probably won’t like it. They will leave us. I will have failed them.”
Ahh—so hard to even acknowledge that! But here’s why I worry.
At Power of Moms, I know what I’m doing. I’ve found my voice there. I’ve been doing it for 10 years, and I know EXACTLY who I am speaking to. You can find lots of podcasts over there! In fact, I prepared FOUR of them tonight before I got to this one…. I just don’t worry.
But here at LearnDoBecome, I DO worry. We have a larger, more diverse group here. LearnDoBecome grew very quickly. And I’ve received a few mean emails. (Like two…. out of thousands. So silly, right?) Our community is men and women. Old and young. From so many backgrounds. And I have this belief that no matter how hard I try, I won’t do it “right.” And so I keep waiting for the perfect time to actually start.
Maybe you’re going through something like that.
Maybe you’re thinking, “I’m afraid to pull the trigger. I’m afraid to step into what I know I need to do because I’m afraid I’m not going to do it right.”
So think about the limiting beliefs that are causing you to hesitate….
QUESTION #2: What would your internal board of directors say to you?
I have this team of people inside my head. People who know me and care about me. People who always give me good advice. They’re busy, and we don’t talk very often, but I think of them all standing in front of me, and I visualize myself saying to them, “Here is why I am afraid….” And then I write down what they would say.
Who would be on your internal board of directors? A sibling? A dear friend? A favorite teacher? A parent?
I want you to think of the people who truly know your heart and love you—in spite of your imperfections. The people who value you for who you are.
What would they say if you shared your fear?
I think my board would say, “April, it’s okay for people to leave your community if they don’t like you. You aren’t meant to please the whole world. Your voice is needed by SOME people. Many people. But you aren’t serving them because you’re letting this idea of potentially mean or angry people in your head stop you from living your full potential. You need to be brave and start doing what you feel inspired and directed to do. The time has come to stand tall.”
Again, this might be a good time to pause and record what YOUR board of directors would say.
QUESTION #3: How could you move toward your goal in a way that feels easy and light?
Sometimes we complicate things. We think, “I have to do this, and this, and this to make my goal absolutely PERFECT, or it’s not worth doing.”
But what feels light and fun—that will still help you to reach your goal?
What is one thing you could do to break down a barrier to your project completion?
I noticed, for example, that I never schedule time into my week to record podcasts or write posts for LearnDoBecome. It just scares me to do that.
But I’m going to start. I’m going to create time.
I’m also going to focus on talking to ONE person. If I picture myself talking to hundreds of thousands of people, that feels scary. So I created an imaginary person in my mind who I feel represents our LearnDoBecome community. And I’m not going to worry if people email us and say mean things. Because they are clearly not the people we’re meant to serve. ?
What can YOU do? How can you create time to move forward on your scary thing?
I want you to share your thoughts and your commitment in the comments. Seriously. I believe it’s important to publicly declare our intentions as we’re moving forward. (You could totally text a friend or do this privately, but whether you choose to make this declaration publicly or privately, I challenge you to do it.)
Here are a few good quotes about change that I thought you might like:
Eric and I are both committed to helping this community learn, do, and become who we’re meant to be.
It is WAY too common to feel depressed, discouraged, and like we’re failing.
But we’re here as a community to remind each other what is possible.
We believe in you. We haven’t met most of you in person, but we hope that as we grow—and fail—and stumble—and get up and keep trying, we can give you the courage and hope to do the same. There are so many exciting opportunities, and there is power from above that will help each of us. That I know 100 percent.
So share in the comments below the change you’re going to make in your life.
See you soon!
April (and Eric)
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April, I LOVED this podcast. I want to make clear here that you are a great influence in my life, I guess I belong to the group of people to whom your voice helps to become a better person. What you do and what you achieve is simply amazing. I look up to you while I start a similar platform in Spanish. You are a role model for me. Thanks for ignoring the wrong voices 🙂 (board of directors candidate 🙂
So excited for you, Teresa! Please do send me the link when your podcast is live! xoxo
Thank you for this post, April.
I have bought your program in fall 2016 and early this year I also bought Michael Hyatt’s (as recommended by you and Eric)…unfortunately, I have still not reached my one and only goal of completely decluttering and organizing my house. It is making me sad and discouraged.
However, your podcast made me realize that I actually have done a lot even if I have not reached my goal yet. Well, my children and husband see the big change in our home but there is still a lot to be done behind those drawers and filing cabinets! It is just taking me long to get there because of lack of time due to work, children’s school and activities, I was in school (I graduated last summer from an intensive Montessori training-whew, I did it!) and.. just the everyday activities in life (ha, loving this beautiful busy life!)
I love the title of this podcast- Moving Forward On The Things You Were Meant To Do-because I know that once I reach my goal of completely getting organized and having my Command Center in place and consistently functioning, I truly believe that life will bring more clarity on what I am meant to do in life. I am just taking it one step at a time. For now, I am meant to bring organization in my space and all these other great things will follow.
Thank you again and I will put in my (and my husband’s:) weekly schedule a specific time for us to declutter and organize.
Sincerely,
Ana
So great hearing from you, Ana! Sounds like you are in a good place and moving forward–even if progress doesn’t always come as rapidly as we wish. Your Command Central WILL make a huge difference, but there’s no “deadline” to getting it created. You have a ton going on, but bit by bit… So glad you’re here with us!
Thank you, April. A lot of what you said was helpful. Right now, my time feels very full of interruptions, so that keeps me from getting started. I know you said in one of your articles (I think) to schedule one day a week to work on your important project. I just have not been able to do that yet. Also, sometimes I don’t know what to do to start, and that keeps me from getting started. I think I need to write down 3 things I could do and then pick one to do in a week. And you are SO RIGHT about giving up on getting everyone’s approval. That won’t happen for anyone.
Sounds like a great plan, Janet! And you might want to simply try some “microbursts.” Five or ten minutes at a time is how I get projects done. Having one day a week to really dig in is ideal, but if you don’t have that right now, even 10 minutes can do the trick! 🙂 Thanks for your kind words and support. Excited for you!!!
This is fantastic. As soon as I saw this recent email in my box, I opened it. But I JUST now finished an initial rough draft of a list of wide areas of concern in my life, with more specific tasks under each heading, such as Home, Health, Self Development, Fitness, Rewards, Nutrition, etc.. I see that this was one of your suggestions! Yes, there IS a lot to do. I guess everyone has this issue! I’m trying hard to stop seeing it as all a problem to be solved, but as a gift/mystery to be lived. My goal is to build or write “trees” or mind maps on foam core boards for the wall, and create corresponding log-in spreadsheets to stay accountable for my time in each area. Eventually I’ll have a magnetic wipe-off board to attach time blocks in colors, according to a daily/weekly schedule. This will help me keep track of downtime vs. work shifts. This is a lot of work to set up, but I know it will be worth it. I’ve been planning this for several months, but I stay busy so putting it off was easy. Now I’m over it!! I just want it done so I can get life, myself, and my home organized. Maybe there might be time for rewards!! Your project is so good and relevent for me and I’m sure, many people. So thank you! Hope you keep after it, and stay reaching out. I wish you much success with your business and progress. I would like to stay on your list, please!
You’ve got this, BJ! It sounds like you have some incredible projects in the works, and I love how you think of them as “gifts.” We all have ups and downs, but being part of a community is such a boost. So glad you’re here with us at LearnDoBecome!
Love you, April and Eric!?❤️? it was such a pleasure meeting you in Nashville, Tennessee. I look forward to your podcasts. You have been instrumental in helping me accomplish so much in my life. I love Learn Do Become! I feel like you are my best friends. You were definitely on my board of directors! Sending virtual hugs your way. ~Mary
It was wonderful meeting you, too, Mary! You have great things going on, and it’s a privilege to work with you here inside the community. xoxo
Thank you! Thank you! I hope to one day get the opportunity to meet you, April. If I don’t meet you in this
life we will see each other in heaven many year from now! God bless you and keep you and your family!
So sweet of you… I would love to meet you in person sometime, too! Thank you for being with us here at LearnDoBecome, Kimberly!
Thank you so much for putting this out there. Needed to listen to that today. Very encouraging and you have a sweet, gentle voice. Thanks for the good reminders. I’ve enjoyed following you guys for awhile now and I look forward to getting over fears to step into my own success. That seems to be the order of the day. 🙂 Cheers!
So glad you’re here with us, Katrina! You are doing a great job with your website (I just checked it out), and I know how scary this all can be, but when you have talents and skills that people need, it feels so exciting to move forward. 🙂 xoxo
Such a great idea to look back to last year! I look back a few months and often despair that something is still on the to do list but looking back over a year I realised just how many things had been achieved and they were part of the big picture rather than the tidy details. I have managed to have my art work selected for exhibitions almost every month. I have kept in close contact with my distant family and friends. I still have a messy studio (still to do) but I have a super organised kitchen and shed. Thankyou for being there.
Congratulations on getting your art out there for people to enjoy. So proud of you!!! The studio will get there. The fact that you’re making progress is awesome. So glad YOU’RE here!!
I just found you recently and am catching up. I occasionally find myself annoyed with some of your podcasts and want to turn them off. I occasionally do, and then think, why did that bother me. I frequently find you hit on a nerve or something I was avoiding. I then restart the podcast (sometimes a few days later) and work through the issues I was having at the time. I appreciate you putting yourself out there and helping us help ourselves.
Liz, thanks so much for sharing! What’s so funny is that sometimes I find MYSELF totally annoyed with my podcasts. 🙂 For example, I was having a rough day a few weeks ago, and I listened to part of my podcast as I was preparing the email to go out. I thought, “Why do I sound so happy in that podcast? Seriously, life is so overwhelming right now. Who does that girl think she is?” So while I obviously try not to be annoying, I GET it. Keep up the great work!