Have you lost purpose, direction, or motivation? Does your life need a reboot or at least a course correction? 

I’ve been there. I have re-invented myself several times. Each time, you get closer to who you want to become. That vision of who you want to be may change.

And that’s ok.

Common thinking says successful people are born smart and with everything already figured out.

We ask kids in kindergarten: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Guidance counselors direct them toward careers based on their strengths and weaknesses.

There is nothing wrong with these things, but they are based on some flaw in logic.

They miss the fact that people’s interests change and develop. Yes, you are born with a certain level of intelligence and a predisposition to some skills over others.

But what skills you choose to work on, the things you choose to learn, and where you focused your attention has a far greater impact on your life than what you are born with.

Mapping the human genome was an incredible project. We thought that if we could identify the specific genes that cause certain traits and illnesses, we could learn how to manipulate them to change the outcome.

A limited understanding of genetics has led to hopelessness many times. People think if they have the genes for a certain thing, that’s the way it’s going to be.

The study of epigenetics has risen in recent years that changes all that. Every decision you make, every action you take, affects how those genes will express themselves.

You may have the gene for a certain cancer, but the lifestyle you choose has a massive influence on whether that gene ever “turns on”. Even if it still does, our choices may delay that for several decades or slow its progression.

Similarly, your life is not pre-determined by anyone but you.

Rarely does the first-grader say “I want to be a doctor when I grow up.” Then go through all the steps of medical school, residency, and finally their own practice and stay until retirement.

Even among those that do, many just feel trapped and stick with it because they have already invested so much into it.

The truth is, you don’t have to know exactly where you are going and all the steps to get there right out of the gate. You don’t have to be born smart enough, or already have the talent to get where you want to go.

You do need an idea of where that is. But you treat it as more of a guiding star than a concrete plan.

Plans are great, and I do a lot of planning, and up front research to make things go easier and more efficient. 

If my car has a problem, I’m going to quickly scrub through a couple of videos first to see how others have solved it. Why repeat other’s mistakes if you don’t have to?

But when I start the work, I expect my situation is going to be a little different.

I know I’m going to have to problem solve and adjust the plan as I go.

In order to get moving toward your goal, all you really need to see is the smallest of next steps.

Once you take that step, your vantage point changes, and the next step will become clear.

That’s all self-confidence is. Not thinking you were born smarter, stronger, or better than others. It’s the knowledge that whatever happens, you will do what it takes to find that next step and have the courage to take it.

People always underestimate the impact of consistently taking tiny forward steps over time.

What if you took the tiniest first step in that thing you are avoiding? And then took the next, and the next. Where would you be in a year? Five years?

Take some time to sit down with yourself and some paper and figure out where it is you want to go. 

Decide on the smallest first step you can take to get there and take it.

Not someday, but TODAY.