Taking the First Step

Written by Sarah

A piece of advice that my mother has said to me my entire life is, “you eat an elephant one bite at a time,” and often she would simply say, “elephant.” It is advice I have carried throughout my life, and now I am finding ways to implement, here, at Cardinal Fern.

Taking the first step into a new venture, whether it is starting a new company or taking your business in a different direction is scary. It can definitely be overwhelming. Change is hard, and taking that very first step always seems to be the hardest part. Elephant, as my mother's voice reminds me, by taking one bite at a time to accomplish your goal, it can be easier than trying to tackle the entirety. And, that really hard, scary change, can actually be a lot of fun!

First bite: Take a deep breath. That’s it. Just take a deep breath.

Second bite: Write down three goals you want to accomplish. No time tables. No pressure. Just three goals. They can be concrete ideas (expand your social media reach) or abstract (find a new passion project). Just writing down three goals will focus your intentions and allow you to find a clear direction.

Third Bite: Pick one specific goal to work towards. You don’t need to accomplish everything in one day, one week or one month. Set realistic benchmarks for your goal and understand change does not happen overnight, it takes time. Now might be a good time to take another deep breath.

Fourth Bite: Grace for yourself and those around you. More often than not we are our toughest critic, the little voice in our heads can be the harshest voice we hear. Give yourself the same courtesy that you would give others when they start their new ventures.

Fifth Bite: Remember how scared you were when you first set out on your venture? Take a moment to reflect on how far you have come. Reflection can be a great asset during change. Often, we get lost in the details of the moment and we forget what we have accomplished. From that first list of three goals to all the goals accomplished since, take a moment to truly feel proud of yourself.

We can help you take that first step. Building brands and helping people find their new ventures is our passion. The first step, the first bite is always the hardest. We can help make it a little less daunting.