Not Sure Where to Start on Your Goal? Feeling Overwhelmed by Your Dream? Here’s One of the Best Pieces of Advice I’ve Ever Heard for Moving Forward
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photo by brooke cagle on unsplash
Has God put a dream or goal in your heart? Do you feel simultaneously excited and overwhelmed at the same time? Are you wondering, Where do I start?
I can relate. There have been many days when I’ve felt dwarfed by the enormity of my dreams and skeptical of my ability to accomplish my goals. When those days roll around, I like to encourage myself with something Theodore Roosevelt once said: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”*
This little phrase never fails to buoy my spirits and fill me with the courage to keep moving forward, even when what I have doesn’t seem like much.
Today, I want to break this wise advice down and look at how we can practically apply it to our dreams and goals. I hope it encourages you as much as it does me!
Do what you can. Whatever your dream or goal is, what is one, or maybe a few, small things you can do toward your goal right now? Maybe you can’t yet write a book, but can you write an email, Instagram post, a journal entry, or a note in your iPhone? Maybe you don’t yet have your own college classroom to instruct, but can you teach Sunday school or tutor your nephew? Don’t worry about what you can’t do. Just identify one simple thing you can do that will bring you closer to or help you practice for your goal. Then do it.
With what you have. Instead of thinking of all the things you don’t have—time, money, connections, etc.—consider what you do have. Maybe you can’t set aside several hours every day to work on your project, but can you set aside 15-20 minutes? Maybe you don’t currently have the funds to return to college, but can you take an online course?
Where you are. I once read about an author who, when her children were small, did a lot of her writing while waiting in the car to pick her kids up from school. She made the most of where she was—both literally and in terms of her life season.
Where are you? Can you take small steps toward your goal while you wait in the school pick-up line or at the pool side while your child takes swimming lessons? How about on your lunch break at work or while your husband is at a baseball game? Consider ways to bring your project with you. If you’re dreaming of owning a cafe, get a book about running a business and toss it in your purse. Pull it out and read a page or two while you wait at the dentist’s office or in the coffee line. Make the most of where you are.
Like the author I mentioned, what we have, what we can do, and where we are is going to vary according to our life season. There will be seasons when we have a lot of free time to devote to our projects and other seasons when we have to schedule our days with the precision of a brain surgeon. Regardless of the season, God only expects us to be faithful with what we have, whether what we have seems like a little or a lot. The good news is, He can grow something beautiful out of even our tiniest offerings.
Before we wrap up, here’s one final question to consider: What do I really want? Think of your dream or goal. Do you really believe God put that project in your heart? Do you really want to follow His lead?
If the answer is Yes, I encourage you to get serious about making the most of what you have. You might have to get creative to make that happen, and the journey may be longer than you expect, but what matters is that you take the next step. And the next. And the next. Just start. Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. That is the best you can do, and that is enough!
I am confident that God will equip you for whatever He has called you to!
With love,
P.S Could you use some personalized support as you figure out how to make the most of what you have?
I’m here to help! Check out my coaching page for more information or set up a free introductory session to learn more about how we can work together to get you moving forward in your purpose-filled life! ❤️
*Some sources render the quote this way: “Do what you can, with what you've got, where you are.”
I want to hear from you!
What’s one small thing you can do to move forward in your goal right now? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!
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P.S.
I wrote this post because I’m on a mission to encourage and equip women to live the life of faith, passion, and purpose that we were made for. You can help make a difference by sharing this post with a friend (or friends!) who you think would be encouraged or inspired by it. Thanks!
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