How to get out of the fantasy rut

Written on Martin Luther King Day. Inspired by Alexandra Franzen’s lovely post.

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”
―Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

You’ve finally started to dream BIGGER for yourself, but now you find yourself stuck in one place, unsure how to move forward.

How come? Well, there are just so many cool-sounding ideas and sparkly possibilities running through your brain.

It’s overwhelming. You don’t want to make the wrong move.

You’ve read all these inspiring books and started following all these super cool people who seem to have hit it big by following their passion. And they’re your age!

You want it too. Thousands of raving fans. Author of a bestselling Hay House book. Selling out workshops left and right. Making tons of money doing what they love. (Eyes turning green yet?)

Then you get caught up in trying to figure out HOW the heck they do it. And then you lose yourself. Helloooo, moderate anxiety. Helloooo, cloudy confusion. Helloooo, throat-tightening insecurity.

I get it. I’ve been there before. Even now, when I drift too far into fantasy I find myself feeling lost as well. In my experience, every action I take from that heady fantasy space is half-assed. It’s not me. It is propelled by fear rather than love.

This is what I suggest instead.

1. Feel into your entire being and ask yourself what you do really well.

It doesn’t have to be fancy, just something you’re naturally good at.

Just choose one thing. (Mine is intuitive listening. Perhaps one of yours is making people laugh. Or making pretty little drawings.)

2. Now do more of it.

Do it really well. Make THIS your focus for the next little phase in your life and/or work (which might last a few weeks or a few months).

Infuse your one thing into all of your service to the world (paid and unpaid!). Figure out how it can help solve someone’s problem and offer it to them in the simplest way possible. Do it with the purest of intentions.

For now, let go of the fantasy items on your vision board of the perfect life and career.

When I did this a few weeks ago, relief showered over me immediately. All I had to do was focus on infusing my loving presence into my coaching space and listen deeply to each one of my clients. I was going to do this superbly well. It gave me a rush of energy to up my game. To offer myself even more fully.

It feels wonderful to focus on this simple offering. All those half-formed and stress-laden ideas about rebranding, opt-ins, and workshops were placed to the side. But what’s even better is that NEW ideas came. Fully formed and ready to be acted upon.

If your one thing is beautiful design, then maybe you’ll work on creating product offerings (forget about the marketing for now), or perhaps surprise presents for friends. If your one thing is connecting with a live group of people, maybe you will do more public workshops (forget about writing your newsletter for now). It all depends on your unique focus and what that focus calls you to do.

Focus on your one gift.

Do it well.

And watch how simplicity allows for inspiration and true productivity.

What do you naturally do really well?

What if you just focused on that one thing?

Just you + your gift + the people you serve.

Doin’ it well.

What do you think? In the comments below, share your “one thing” and how you’re going to offer it to the world. Simply.

P.S. Still feeling blocked? Want some more clarity on this process? You’re welcome to connect with me privately here.