The Turtle Steps

Turtle steps Goal Writing Playshop 

Friends,

Take your time with this Post... There's a lot here!

So, you may be asking: Why is this blog titled "Turtle Steps"? 

Here's why:

I learned a relevant technique from my guru and master manifester, Martha Beck. By using her techniques, she is the reason for many of my writing accomplishments, and for attaining many of my goals. I'd like to share with you how her process works.

We are all bogged down by our dramas. I don't care who you are, or what you do, we all have our issues. It doesn't matter what the issues are, they are there, and we're all put on this planet to learn to accept them, to work with them, and often to move around them. 

Meanwhile, we've got these goals that we each dream about and want to reach. It could be anything. A new home, a new boyfriend, a new career, or to publish a book. When I sit down to write, I have clearly defined my goal - "I find passion in this writing, and I want to publish this sucker." Walking into that idea with that end goal in mind can often be literally petrifying. There are soooooooooo many steps that have to be taken in order to get to that end goal. Can I do it? I think about all the steps it's going to take me to get to that end result, and often end up unable to do a single one of the steps!

• I need to write passionately
• I need to fix all my typos
• Is my content accurate?
• I will need to re-read my work, and re-edit my work
• Write the dedication
• Hire an editor
• Have the work edited (Ouch!)
• Fix all the edits
• Have my work re-edited (double-ouch!)
• Fix it again...
• Hire a layout and design artist
• Write my biography
• Write my synopsis
• Figure out publishing techniques (Indy/self or traditional publishing - I've done both.)
• Submit my work to the publisher or upload to the indy site
• Actually, click "Publish" or "Submit"
• Start an LLC so I can pay taxes on my sales
• Learn about taxes
• Create a website
• etc...

There's a lot "to do," and this list doesn't scratch the surface.
But not when you take it very slowly - one step at a time.

In order to stop being bogged down by looking at the end goal - to hold my book in my hand - I had to learn to take one teeny, tiny, turtle step at a time. 

Here's Martha's technique as quoted in her book, Finding Your Own North Star (p. 322-323):

Think of a goal you really want to achieve, and write down one step you know you must take to attain it. Now break that step down into smaller components. Then pick one of those components, and break it down into even smaller subcomponents. Keep going until you find a ministep that you're sure you can accomplish easily. Pay close attention to your internal compass: You will feel changes in  your body and emotions when the tasks become small enough to earn the coveted "turtle step" designation.

Today, take one turtle step toward your goal. Just one. Then STOP! You are not allowed to take another turtle step until twenty-four hours have passed or you feel a strong desire to move on, whichever comes first. At that point, take one more turtle step. Then stop again, and so on. Step, stop, step, stop, step. It may not look impressive, but it will get you anywhere.

I highly recommend this book.

Combine Martha's turtle step technique with this additional magic manifester. It works like this:

1. Grab a notebook and a stack of sticky-notes. The more colors you have, the better.
2. Sit down in a quiet place. Take a few deep breaths. Find your peace.
3. Write today's date and time on a sticky-note.
4. Stick that note to the left side of your page.
5. Envision your goal. What is it? Dream big! This is your process - make that dream-goal even bigger and better than you ever thought possible!
6. Just when you think your goal is the biggest and dreamiest you could possibly make it, add one more thing to it to make it even BIGGER!
7. Write down that dream goal.
8. Stick that to the farthest right side of the notebook page.
9. Now, on individual sticky-notes, write down all the "turtle steps" that it will take for you to get to that dream goal. Stick them all over the in-betweens of the other two sticky-notes. (Remember what it takes to declare it a "true turtle step." These steps have gotta be small! Just when you think it's the smallest it can be, break it down even smaller).
10. Every 24-hours, tackle one of those turtle steps; or when you feel you're ready to take another turtle step. 
11. Write the date/time on the sticky-notes as you accomplish them.
12. Then stop.
13. Step. 
14. Stop.
15. Step.
16. Stop.
17. Step. (continue...)
18. Soon, the steps will become easier and easier for you to tackle. You will become more and more impassioned to accomplish them, and sooner than you think, that end-goal will have a date written on it too.

I recently practiced the "Turtle Step Technique" with raging success.
Below is a picture of this process and how it worked for me:

The sticky note on the left is the date I started this magical process.
Notice the date written on the BIG DREAM sticky-note on the right side of the notebook. 

Also know that on 4/24/18, I wasn't necessarily seeking a new home. 

My closing date was 6/25/18.
I didn't have time to break down the turtle steps any further than this. I just started asking the questions and looking, then boom. I found my new home.

This process works.

So, when is your start date?
What is your dream-goal?
And what are the turtle steps you need to take to accomplish them?

If this process feels daunting at all, please reach out to me. I'm happy to help you simplify your steps! It's an amazing process, and it should NOT feel overwhelming at all. If it starts to feel that way, your steps aren't simple enough. :)

Thanks for sharing!

Brooke