“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
For as long as I can remember I have had an “all in or all out” mentality. I’m either going to accomplish what I have set out to do or I’m going to try because I’ve already made up my mind that I won’t be able to do it.
In the past, this came up in various ways. I’d not try various goals because they seemed too lofty or out of reach. I’d stop going to the gym when the number of miles I needed to accomplish for my training was out of what I thought I’d be able to do. Or I’d stop going out of my way to love my husband in new ways because, “what if this isn’t what he wants, so I should just stick to what I know he wants.” Each of these beliefs about myself and what I was capable of were ultimately holding me back to what I COULD accomplish if I only took a step in the right direction.
Through Coach Excellence School Express I was able to recognize this pattern of thought and how it was holding me back in various areas of my life. I desired to be the wife, mom, friend, and entrepreneur that showed up for their goals, no matter what obstacles were in the way.
What changed for me was the question, “what can I do?”
This one simple self-coaching question unlocked new thoughts for me. It revealed that even if the goal or circumstance seemed way beyond what I was capable of, I could reframe my thinking to determine what was possible, rather than looking at what wasn’t. I became a possibility thinker and committed to taking “some” action.
This question has been a catalyst of growth in my life. I began to see what was possible over what wasn’t. If I didn’t think that running nine miles was possible, I’d still get up, get outside, and run what I could, because that was better than nothing. I began to learn different ways of loving and serving my spouse, knowing it would be okay if it wasn’t “perfect.” If I knew I had only 30 minutes to accomplish a mile long list, I’d find what was possible in that amount of time rather than forgoing the entire list because it wasn’t doable.
Rather than being the person who is “all in or all out” I’m looking for different ways to be creative in taking those small steps in the areas I want to see growth. I began to see these different opportunities as ways I could eat an elephant, one bite at a time.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Carrie Vajko is married to her bible camp sweetheart, Jon, and a mother of two kids under 5 years old. She loves spending time outside, going on new adventures and traveling to Disney or the beach with her family. Carrie and Jon have been utilizing their coaching skills as they raise their kids and coaching couples who are about to be married. She loves being able to use her talents and strengths to serve her church, business coaches, and the audience of their podcast, Couples Becoming Intentional.