Lesson 1 – Crafting Your Story

In this lesson Chris will teach you how to chart your own course by setting goals and writing your future story.

Welcome to the very first lesson in Accelerator, Crafting Your Story.

In the past I never considered myself a strong planner because I didn’t know how to really get started and be certain about the plan ahead.

At this time in my life I found myself always saying “I have no time” and feeling stuck working in the business. I’ve been stuck in periods of overthinking “monkey mind” and unable to be clear and concise on my decisions. I would feel anxious about hitting my goals and overall just felt uncertain.

Crafting your story or vivid vision (as Cameron Herold calls it) is not a new concept but it’s a core fundamental to building a good life/business foundation. It has served me most by providing clarity and quieting my mind. This story, your story, is going to be the map you will continue to refer back to for energy and realignment.

Your Vision document is a critical starting point you should not skip over.

Story Version 1

That’s how I like to think about these things, Version 1. If your nature is to get it perfect and hold on too long, the process I’m asking you to engage in does not work with that behavior.

From my experience accelerators who are perfectionists are leaving a key competing factor on the table and that is Speed.

Getting Started

I’ll provide you a quick download to handle this process but let’s cover the structure for overall understanding. Your vision document will simply start off with a sentence or phrase that is your Why statement.

Why do you do what you do?

I love to (x), for (who?), so they can (results)

I love to create software so easy it’s like flipping switches, for service business operators just my like own brother & father, so they can save time with technology & grow faster.

Now think about what you’d like to accomplish over the next 3 years, in your work life, personal life, family life, relationship life, health life, maybe an additional hobby life. Pick the categories and themes that are important to you.

Under each theme start listing the goals/accomplishments you’d like to hit over the next 3 years. Think big and dream, just keep writing and don’t stop until you’re out of your wildest but truly desired ideas.

Here is an example. Ask yourself “What is my work life like in 3 years?” “What is my company like?” Describe how it looks around you. What does the org chart look like? What does the culture feel like? What is important to you that is now different, bigger, better, improved? What are you noticing around you in the environment with your goal now fully accomplished?

These are the details you can use to fill out your vision after you’ve brainstormed the initial goals.

You do not need to be a writer to complete this lesson. I would say it’s even better to just write like you would speak and tell the story as you see it.

I’m Still Not Certain

It’s understandable to be at a point where you’re not sure which goals to write down. Since all goals stem from core values and beliefs, emulating someone elses accomplishments you admire can be a starting point for your journey.

Another idea is to just start by choosing 1 goal from the professional, personal, family and health categories.

Biggest Accelerator Hurdles 

From my experience most accelerators spend very little time working on thier business. Don’t worry I was once an accelerator and made every mistake in the book that’s why we’re here, to help you. Look at your own calendar now, how many hours per day are carved out to focus solely on the business?

Why is this the easiest, yet one of the hardest exercises to accomplish?

  1. We don’t allow ourselves time to work on the business.
  2. Simply we don’t schedule the time on the calendar.
  3. This course is the very start of something new and starting will always be met with resistance.

The real secret to hitting goals is scheduling the time and getting to work on the appropriate project.

Execution

  1. Download the Simple Story Questionnaire
  2. Schedule 1 to 2 hours of time on your calendar to work on your story.
  3. Focus on producing the first story outline within just 1 to 2 hours.
  4. Iterate and add more detail to your story over 3+ working calendar sessions.
  5. Make this process a habit to revisit and refine your story quarterly

I’ve kept my own story under 3 pages and enjoy reading it daily for energy, alignment and inspiration.

What is 0-1?

“Zero to one” is a term I use to express getting to the very first iteration of your project as fast as possible.

A goal you carefully plan, has a chance.

Thanks for getting to the very end! See you in the next lesson.

– Chris

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