“Start small, and work your way up.”

“Take baby steps, and eventually you’ll get there!”

“Keep it simple, and just put one foot in front of the other.”

All good pieces of advice.

And: totally annoying, when you’re trying to accomplish something BIG.

Because when you’ve got a BIG dream, your heart just wants to arrive already.

You want the book to be written (already!), the blog to be bustling with comments from adoring fans (already!), the luxury retreat to be sold out (already!), the TV producers to be calling (already!).

Of course, that’s not the way it works. And on some level, we all know this.

But our egos are wild animals — they need little reminders, from time to time.

I got a not-so-little reminder just last week, while sweating like a maniac at my CROSSFIT class.

CROSSFIT — for those of you who don’t know — is a core strength and conditioning program designed by completely insane people. It’s scary, intense and totally hardcore.
 

I’m a pretty active lady, but CROSSFIT terrifies the bleep out of me. Every time I head into the gym, I literally get prickles in my stomach — like I’m about to go on live TV or deliver a TED Talk without any cue cards or preparation.

 

I just started doing CROSSFIT in August, and people? I’m not very good at it. In fact, I kinda suck.

But I keep going.

Because I’ve got big goals.

One of those goals? Doing one pull-up. Aw yeah. GI Jane-style.

 

I know that if I push my body to the point of pain and go for full-blown GI Jane-ness (already!) I’m going to injure myself, disappoint myself, or maybe even topple onto the floor and hurt somebody else.

I’ve seen other CROSSFITTERS push too hard, too fast, and wind up seriously eff’d up.

That’s the ego taking over — overriding intuition and common sense.

Tempting, but no thanks.

 

The only way I’m going to hit that big goal — one bad-ass pull-up! — is by taking small strides, every day, with devotion and consistency.

 

The only way I’m going to hit ANY of my big goals — launching my new webTV show, finding snazzy sponsors for that show, selling out my farm-to-table dinner events and coaching programs —  is by taking small strides, every day, with devotion and consistency.

I know my limits. I know my edge. And I do my best work when I hang out right at my edge — not beyond it.

I'll say that one more time, because it's so damn important:

"I do my best work when I hang out right at my edge — not beyond it."

So, my question for you today is:

What’s one of your big, bad-ass, GI Jane-level goals?

And:

Are you hanging out right at your edge — or trying to push too hard, too fast, too soon?

 

xo.

Susan

P.S. To learn more about CROSSFIT (it rocks!) click here. If transforming your body & changing your relationship with food & fitness is one of your big goals, hit this. And if youre fantasizing about having a Rocky-style coach to help you create your most delicious coaching biz, theres always my proven to knock it outta the park Clear Coaches. Enrolling for January.