Focus on the first stair, don't focus on the staircase:
Talking to Magnus about his journey with anxiety was an opportunity which I look back on with great appreciation.
I remember as we discussed ways of dealing with anxiety he graciously said a line that stuck with me ever since; ‘focus on the first stair, don't focus on the staircase’.
Highlight 1 - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Mx_FgEDF0oY
It’s amazing how simple and yet how powerful this saying is. It can be used in moments of struggle and fear, or moments of confusion and feeling stuck and bring the essence to approach life, one step at a time.
Momentum:
When you have a goal or dream you are looking to follow, this philosophy can be hard because your mind can very easily race out of control.
You can see a clear vision of where you want to go and what you want to experience but you can easily dismiss and not comprehend all the steps needed to get there.
When life gets too overwhelming, it can be easy to think the challenges are too much and it would be better to give up on what you are doing and start again. This is only the case because you can't see the path.
Too many people get caught up in the idea of climbing a mountain ahead of them rather than breaking down the process into manageable steps and sections to ascend.
Setting achievable goals and going after the low-hanging fruit is a great way to make these small steps.
Momentum is built through consistent actions over a long period so here are some key rules I have aligned to Magnus's words.
1 - Set a direction but don’t linger in it before you’ve even taken off
It is really easy to get caught up in the idea of the end goal, the final destination or the perfect version of something. In some ways having a clear vision of what you want to achieve can be very useful but sticking to it can constrict momentum as you focus too far ahead.
Whenever I have something I am working on I just set a direction of travel. I have a rough idea in my head of where I want to go but don't restrict my mind to a fixed end point because I accept that the version of me at the start might not agree with the outcome compared to the version of me further down the line.
Setting a direction or following a north for me is about following intuition to move forward. I follow my instincts towards what I think will lead me to roughly where I’d want to be and try not to dwell if the route isn't as direct.
When we start to dwell, because we aren't moving exactly how we pictured it, is when it becomes easier to lose faith, start doubting yourself and potentially stop.
We need to learn to try and remain in the present and only look at the problems in front of us if possible, so that we can see our progress and how to keep moving forward.
2 - Chase the low-hanging fruit. It’s one step at a time
I’ve spoken about this before and I will do it again. Low-hanging fruit is the easiest way to build some momentum. Go and get those quick wins and see how they propel you forward.
Low-hanging fruit might not be as desirable as the big whales we are after but accumulating them over time will push you much further than you can imagine.
If you get stuck somewhere, step back and look for the quick win/low-hanging fruit to kick start the journey.
It reminds me of the proverb. 'We should learn to walk before we can learn to run'. Low-hanging fruit is us walking. It is easier to master and will give confidence when we keep making small wins to run and push for bigger goals.
3 - Write down your plan and break it into logical steps
Sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in our heads that we can't see an obvious route forward.
I’ve found that writing down my thoughts and brainstorming in these moments helps me piece the puzzle together and show my current status.
You can see the steps you’ve made on paper and see the distance between where you are and where you want to be which should give you more clarity and confidence. If it doesn't then you need to break the steps down into smaller chunks still.
4 - Check in with your progress and tick each step of the list
When you have smaller steps to climb you have more goals that you can achieve. One big goal could be broken down into twelve smaller goals that show clear progress and growth.
Having a checklist is essential because it will motivate you and help keep the momentum going in your mind and real life.
I loved seeing in the Coldplay documentary the list Chris Martin wrote for the band which comprised of ‘getting signed’, ‘getting management’, ‘having a record deal’ etc. Despite the fact their goal was the be the biggest band in the world, Chris broke down this challenge into steps which they were able to work towards which all compounded towards them being one of the biggest bands in the world.
Don't underestimate the power of writing the list and referring back to it to see where you are.
5 - Enjoy the journey through the highs and lows but keep level-headed
Momentum can be killed when we become too absorbed in the emotions of the journey. The lows can demotivate and trick us into believing we aren't able to achieve our goals and the highs can make us believe we are doing better than we are.
It is so important to not get ahead of ourselves on both occasions because the highs and lows can mislead us. Enjoying the journey is vital and best done from a neutral headspace that doesn't accept the journey is over.
Momentum is maintained with a consistent mind as well as a consistent work ethic. We need to learn to think as consistently as possible to not let our emotions mislead us. Keep a level head that is focused on the present and enjoying the journey in whatever form it takes.
One thing I want to also acknowledge is this snippet from Magnus. I think he perfectly sums up why there are so many young people struggling right now. There are huge proportions of society who haven't yet learnt who they really are and how they truly feel and want to live.
Highlight 2 - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/B2xasn5b3DA
Authenticity:
It is amazing how often I will see a group of young people on the tube or in together somewhere and the majority of them are on their phones rather than interacting with those around them.
We have a problem with the younger generation where their focus not only isolates them from their peers but also their true selves.
One of the habits I have created in my life is forcing myself to be open to interacting with anyone and trying to focus on a discussion with them.
Each day when I go to swim and sauna I leave my phone in my locker and for an hour or two I will meet and talk to people I know or don't know and talk with them about life, things they are interested in and opinions on subjects.
I would never change these moments where I get to properly connect with people because they give me so much energy and knowledge, but they also give me the ability to challenge myself and my thoughts because everybody has their perspective and with that, you gain a wider spectrum of opinions and ideas.
Maybe we can all start asking questions of ourselves and put down our phones and see if we are challenging ourselves to be the best, most interesting and connected version we can be.
Listen to the whole episode here:
I am Will Flindall, host of the Valley of Outlaws Podcast where I speak to those who have decided to take control of their life and follow a passion or instinct.
If you feel like you could be getting more from your life, then maybe one of the conversations I’ve had with the Outlaws might help you kickstart a change.
Peace x
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