Question to take the first step:

What is the tiny first step that will move you closer to your big, scary goal?

When you’re face to face with a huge, ambitious idea, project, or opportunity, you build up the importance of the first step.

You convince yourself that the first step is this huge, momentous action—you have to make the perfect first move to avoid cratering your chances at success.

The risk: If you build it up enough, you’ll never start.

How can you fight back?

How can you shatter the 10-foot-high wall in front of you and leave yourself a 1-inch step?

Ask yourself this question: What is the tiny action I can take that will move me in the right direction?

Momentum is a hell of a thing—if you can create that tiny bit of movement, you get it on your side. Stop allowing self-intimidation to hold you back.

Make the first step as tiny and approachable as possible.

Quote to join the dance:

"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance." - Alan Watts

As the saying goes, “Man plans, and God laughs.”

Stop planning, start dancing.

(Share this on Twitter!)

Framework to embrace your entire self:

Kintsugi

Kintsugi is a Japanese art form that involves the repair of broken pottery with a special lacquer mixed with powdered precious metals (like gold, silver, or platinum).

It takes something broken and reframes the breakage and repair process into a part of the history of the object—a key piece of what makes it beautiful.

This art form offers a powerful metaphor for our lives:

We are all broken in our own unique way. We can choose to hide those cracks and fissures—or we can choose to shine a light on them, illuminate them, and share them with the world.

When we embrace our imperfections, we not only find new power in ourselves, but we give other people permission and strength to do the same. It creates a chain reaction—positive ripples that spread.

Every single struggle, failure, and trauma is a part of who you are and the unique value that you can bring to this world.

Kintsugi tells us to embrace them—both as a reminder of your own self-worth, and as a reminder to others that they can do the same.

Article of career questions:

​6 Questions to Ask at the Midpoint of Your Career​

I thought this was a great list of questions that are worth asking regularly on your professional journey.

My two favorites:

1. What tradeoffs am I willing to make (or no longer willing to make)? This is a topic I wrote about in the Real Price of Success. Very important!
2. What gift can I offer the world? Such a neat way of thinking about how to create value for the world (and receive value in return).

Video on struggle and triumph:

​Sisyphus and the Impossible Dream​

Casey Neistat has become one of my favorite storytellers in recent weeks. I’m embarrassed I hadn’t discovered his work and content earlier.

This video is a short, but impressively raw and authentic story that will connect with anyone who has ever gone after a big, ambitious goal. The struggle, the failure, and the triumph—it has it all.

Worth your time, whether or not you’re into running.