Carrie Baker – The Growth Collective

I have struggled with this lately. Like, really struggled.

I wanted to be further along on my journey, closer to where I want to be. I spent most of the summer learning and absorbing and dreaming about my bigger picture goals. Ask me what I achieved this summer….

The answer is this: Not a whole lot.

I was so frustrated with myself, because I was trying to do all the things, and not working on the most important goals I had already set. I was distracted by the next big shiny goal, that I couldn’t focus on anything long enough to make any progress. My book still wasn’t magically writing itself, or my blog posts, or the other things I should’ve been focused on…

The greatest success stories are the ones where someone took one step after another, plodding on until they got there. Just like Joe Wicks.

“My work has been a ten-year ‘overnight success’, I always talk about that,”

Joe Wicks

He showed up everyday, put in the work even in the pouring rain. He started with what he had, a bike trailer with some workout gear and his determination. This is what it takes, that determination and consistency. Sometimes there will be great achievements and you’re suddenly propelled forward, just as it was for Joe Wicks. But mostly, it is showing up for you, for the things that matter to you, for your goals and dreams.

So this is a reminder for me and maybe for you, that every step you take no matter how slow or small, is still making a difference. It is still taking you to the place you want to go.

In the plodding is where we learn the most.

You learn to be consistent and show up.

Your goal or dream is worthy of the investment of time you give it. You will get out what you put into it, and reap the benefits when you get there. Nothing is ever wasted. No set back or slight deviation is ever time lost. We learn and grow in all those difficult moments.

Taking one step after the other teaches us resilience and commitment and determination. You will need those qualities and strengths to get you to that place you want to get to and beyond. The hard work doesn’t end when you reach your goal, it is just the beginning.

You have time to grow into the life you’re creating.

If you went from being your current self to suddenly being the one you aspire to being a few years from now – you’d most likely fail! By taking the journey step by step, you give yourself time to grow into the future version of you. A chance to grow in capacity, in the right time, with the right foundations to support the bigger goals you are aiming for.

Just like Joe Wicks over lockdown. He used his skills to help the world to exercise when we couldn’t leave our homes. All the time he put into his dream in all the years before, prepared him for that moment, when the world was working out with Joe in their living rooms. Take time to grow into who you need to be, so you can maintain the future life you are reaching for.

You can avoid the cracks in the road.

Have you ever seen a child running along an uneven path, only to trip on a paving stone and it all ends in tears? When you try and do too much at once or too quickly, you can’t see the obstacles that can trip you up.

It may be burn out, or finding that you’ve overcommitted yourself. You might suddenly feel overwhelmed and not see where the path is anymore, or that you have run too far down a path you don’t actually want to be on.

When I was waitressing, if I ever tried to go too fast was when I would make mistakes or drop things, taking me longer to get it all done. By taking a slower pace you make less mistakes and work more efficiently, you can see those bumps in the path, that could trip you up.

You can grow your support network

Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor was it built by one person. As much as it feels like a solo mission, your dream or goal needs a community of people to support you and help it grow. Your community can be whatever you need it to be, a community of two or a lot more.

There is an African proverb, which I am sure that you’ve heard, that says:

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

African Proverb

Doing anything with friends is always so much more enjoyable, not only that, they will be the ones who encourage and cheer you on when it gets tough.

Sometimes your community is a seemingly naturally occurring thing. When you’re excitedly heading for that dream, you sometimes gather people inadvertently in your wake. Other times it may feel like God or the universe has conspired to bring the right people along at the right time. Or maybe you need to go out there and find the people you need for this long and steady journey.

Trust God and the process, that the right person or people will come along at the right time.

Any progress is still progress

I want to leave you with something to think about:

• What is the one thing (or three at most) you need to be working on right now? What are your important goals?

• What are the smaller goals you think are distracting you at the moment, that can wait for some future point? Focus on your main thing, and the rest will happen (or not) as it should.

We can do this together, one plodding step at a time.

If you have been encouraged by this blog post or you can think of a friend who needs to hear this go and share it with them. Or you can post it on your socials and be a part of building a community.

Thank you for being here, and for being a part of my community.

Sending you love friend,

Carrie xxx

Photo credit :: Jad Limcaco