Here I am, looking to begin again from what I consider a whole new starting point, a new Zer0 – I have no experience whatsoever riding a motorcycle 2000+ miles across the country . I’m going to show how I work the process that I use, to sneak up on every step along the way to comfortably tackling what feels like an impossible journey.
So, for this (potential) adventure (I’m hoping to get the chance to get on the bike I’m going to ride to make sure I can sit on it comfortably, that it’s not too high for me, before I commit to this trip), I’m going to chart out the actual approach I take to game these escapades as I work my way along my path towards my intended outcome.
Sneaking up on massively anxiety producing ventures requires one to sneak under the radar of one’s own internal resistance, of toying around with an idea a bit first before thinking of committing to anything.
Step 1: I recognize something is tickling my interest – “Ooooh, I could ride the new bike back across the country on a road trip. I LOVE road trips!!” Often, I sit on an idea for a bit, just to see if it’s a passing whim. Often it is. But, if not…
Step 2: I decided what I think I want to do, making it a little more concrete. “I’d love to ride across the country on the new bike. April would be a good month to do it, because I could just fly down from Tahoe and head out from there. Looking at Google Maps, it looks to be about a 2000 mile trip. I’ve driven my truck that far. And, I’ve taken a road trip with my Dad across that part of the country. So, I do have some familiarity and comfort with this idea.”
Step 3: After I’ve sat on an idea a little bit longer, and am ready to commit to the process of exploring my interest further, I always set myself a BHAG, a Big, Hairy Audacious Goal. It’s a term coined by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras in their book, Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies. Basically, you look to set a stretch goal for yourself that blows your comfort zone clear out of the water, but one that at the same time inspires you deeply, that moves you at a deep emotional level.
This seems counterintuitive to my baby-steps approach to learning. But, here’s how the two work together… The BHAG is the aspirational goal, the one that thrills your soul to contemplate. Once you have that nailed down, THEN, you lay out a methodical, incremental plan designed to help you baby-step your way all the way to that BHAG!
So, my BHAG (and to me it is not only Big and Hairy, but is EPICALLY Audacious) is to ride roughly 2000 miles across the country, from Carefree (so love that name!!), Arizona, back to my hometown of Oxford, Ohio (we need to put tags on the bike there, otherwise… ahhhh, Ms. LuLu Berlu and I would be heading straight back to Tennessee together!)
(Oh, I haven’t told you her name?? Well, as I found out from my French family, a Lulu Berlu is kind of a crazy, hot chick, and there is no doubt in my mind that this gal I’m hoping to take on this road trip is both 100% hot and 100% crazy!!)
Stick with me, and we’ll move on to Step 4 in my process in the next post…
Smarter-Not-Harder U 