Want to eat an elephant? Try the Red X method.

We all know this saying, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. “

Seems simple enough. Trouble is, I’ve never eaten an elephant. Now I know I’m not literally sitting down to tuck away, but as a metaphor for accomplishing something really big in your life, it’s still rather intimidating, right?

Like any task, we need a system. Enter Jerry Seinfeld and his Red X system, otherwise known as “Don’t Break the Chain”. We’ve all received those well intentioned but annoying chain letters that promise you the world if only you forward it to 27 people. This is different.

My dear friend and marketing mentor, Ms. Kim Klaver, introduced me to this deceptively simple technique. It’s pretty straightforward, but apparently, amazingly effective. Here is how it works.

You print out a blank calendar for the month.

You buy yourself a nice fat juicy red marker.

You set your intention for one action you are committing to do – EVERY DAY – without fail. As we all know, practice makes perfect. And this is how we are going to eat our elephant. One bite at a time. One blog post at a time. One whatever it is we need to do to change the world, one step at a time.

Apparently, the thrill of crossing off that bright red X becomes so compelling you just can’t bear to go to bed until you have done it.

I just printed mine out, and I can’t wait to make a nice big red cross on my Day 1 of…. (to be revealed!)

Want to join me in eating an elephant and changing the world, one red X at a time?

When the well runs dry – a lesson in trust

We can learn to have perspective when we are going through those confusing, difficult learning times. When we are being pelleted by events that make us feel, think, and question, we are in the midst of learning something important. We can trust that something valuable is being worked out in us--even when things are difficult, even when we cannot get our bearings. Insight and clarity do not come until we have mastered our lesson.

Melody Beattie 

I really needed to read these words this morning – as I sat and stared at my blank word document and had not a clue what to write this morning. Having made the bold proclamation yesterday of my intent to change the world in a big way, this morning I am faced with OMG, what ever possessed me to say that? Now what?

And having made a commitment to blog 5 days a week, I couldn’t just take the easy way out and say, “Oh well, I don’t feel like it today;” or “maybe I’ll be clear/inspired tomorrow.”  So what to do?

I don’t want to write something just to write – that would be a waste of my time and yours. So I followed the advice of a wise guide, who suggested to me that if I want to be a writer, my job is to always seek inspiration. And so I did.  Thank you Jeff Anderson, for your nightly “snips” in my inbox, which are often unerringly timely.

So today I share Melody Beattie’s words with you and remind myself to be gentle with myself. I am trusting that whatever is calling me to write and share my thoughts knows what It is doing, that whatever lessons I am here to learn, and to share, will uplift and inspire.