Taking the Leap

Everything is a leap……..EVERYTHING.  The real question is, is it a big leap or a small one?  Deciding how you want your coffee is not a big leap, unless you are a staunch Starbucks follower and need to stop at Dunkin' when there is no Starbucks.  Think about it.  That decision for some is a huge one and could be considered a big risk:  Is it going to be good?  Do they have espresso?  Where do their beans come from?  Am I making a mistake? 
Take this example to an even higher level:  Do I take a career risk.  These come in many forms from applying to the next position, promotion or looking to change employers to an even bigger leap (for some) starting your own business.  The questions take the same tone:  Is it going to be a good thing?  Is that new team one where I fit in?  Are they coffee drinkers?  Will they like me?  Am I crazy for wanting a change?  Am I making a mistake going out on my own? What can feel very different in these decisions are the unknown factors that directly affect you.  So let’s talk about how to turn big leaps into smaller leaps.  I’m not talking about taking baby steps……..
When making decisions aka taking leaps, removing the unknowns will make all the difference in shrinking that distance from where you are to where you want to be.  So how do we do that?

• Research:  If you, my dear Starbucks lover, knew that Dunkin' does indeed have espresso machines and espresso beans and can make a mean cappuccino or even a non-fat caramel swirl coffee, then all of a sudden, your unknowns are known, and the only real questions are:  will you like it and where is the nearest Dunkin'.  The same goes for making a shift in your career.  Whether it’s the next job or a career 180, do your research- learn about the job, the place, the market, who are the players.
• Gut check:  Does it feel right to you?  We tend to discount our guts for what society, friends, family coworkers, bosses, etc. want us to be or do with our lives.  Advice is great but your intuition will also tell you if it’s the right thing for YOU.  It’s your life, you have to lead it.  Others cannot do that for you.  
• Ask yourself am I running away or running towards something:  Running away can give you more blind spots than when you are moving purposefully to a goal.  Running towards something means you have a vision- maybe not a clear direction, but you know where you want to be.  
• Make the decision:  Most people will stay ambivalent on a decision or even procrastinate until they know “for sure” it’s the right thing.  The truth is, you are never going to know “for sure” unless you decide one way or the other.  Procrastination does not serve you.  All it does is ensure that you stay where you are and not where you want to be.  So decide, if staying put, or waiting for the next Starbucks, 100 miles away, is the right thing then do that.  If you have done the research and your gut tells you it’s the right thing for you, then take the first step towards your goal. 

 
Once you have removed the unknowns (external, self, decision) you are going to notice that the leap is not as far fetched  as you once thought, and you will move forward with confidence.  So, what’s your next leap?