Hey friends,
We spent all last month making plans and dreaming big. Now that it’s time to start actually implementing that plan, you might be feeling overwhelmed and, in time, like giving up and trying something different.
This is normal. But don’t do it. Here’s why (psst… enable images in this email if you don’t have them enabled already):
This is called “The Emotional Cycle of Change”
I call it “why I’m terrible at sticking to things and choose to chase shiny objects all the time instead of just doing the work and reaping the rewards”… or something like that.
Let’s break it down step by step and talk about why this should live rent free in your head forever, like it does in mine:
- This is when you decide to buy that course, adopt that puppy, get the new camera or make that big change in your business. You’re all rose colored glasses and hearts and rainbows here. Everything is going to be amazing and wonderful and SO EASY, you can just feel it!
- You bring the puppy home and it’s sooooooo freeeeeeeaking cuuuuuuuute. You log into that course and it’s packed with everything you want to learn. You unbox that camera and it practically glows in your hands. You set an amazing goal and map out your first quarter of projects to achieve that goal and you can just tell this is going to be your year.
- The puppy poops in your shoe. You notice that each lesson in this course is an hour long and has worksheets. You take your first photo with the camera and… what the heck does that button even do??? You sit down at your computer to start working on week one of your plan and hmmm… this feels a little like work now.
- Remember the poop shoe? The puppy has eaten it… yes, all of it… poop, too. Holy cow, this course is a lot of work… like… a lot. And what’s wrong with this camera? All of your photos look kinda terrible. And that plan for week one… I have to actually write that content now???
- This sucks. I’ve made terrible life choices. But that puppy/camera/course/business plan over there looks like it’s super easy… it could be amazing and wonderful and SO EASY, you can just feel it!
(5.5. You ditch the puppy/course/camera/plan for that other thing, completely forgetting you’re just at step one of the new plan, sporting some beautiful rose-colored-glasses, with no idea you’re about to go through the same exact cycle with thing number 2.) - The puppy poops on the pad. You implement the first tip in the course and get that first client. You break down and read the manual and nail that backlit portrait. You cross your first task off of your project for month one and feel hella accomplished.
- The pupper has learned to sit and roll over and makes you look super cool at parties. Your new course has already paid for itself. The camera is starting to feel like an extension of yourself (just like your old camera). The plan is working and you’re on your way to beating your quarter 1 milestone!
- You can’t imagine life without this dog. The course completely changed your business and you’ll never consider doing things the way you did before. This camera is the best purchase you’ve ever made for your business. And your plan is working better than you ever imagined, with your business growing by leaps and bounds and you always know exactly what to do next.
So… What’s The Point?
The two main points I want you to consider from today until forever are these:
- That other dog/course/camera/plan is always going to look better when you’re in FML Valley. It’s not because it’s better, it’s because you don’t know what you don’t know. Because you’re looking at puppy/course/camera/plan #2 through those rose colored glasses again. Jumping ship will likely only lead to going through this same exact cycle with the new puppy/course/camera/plan.
- The people who find success are the ones who push through FML Valley. These people are few and far between. If you can be one of them, you’ll be a rare breed who finds more success than the vast majority of people. Do the hard work because it’s hard and few others will.
Keep an eye out for this cycle in your day-to-day and I promise you’ll see it everywhere. Anytime you find yourself looking at that greener grass, ask yourself if you’re in FML Valley, take off those rose colored glasses and be honest about whether or not things are actually better on the other side.
Then fire up that plan you made and get back to work. (And pet that puppy for me).
Chris
