Overcoming the Obstacles to Your Big Hairy Audacious Dreams: A Transformative Approach

Are you an ambitious, visionary woman with a Big Hairy Audacious Dream (BHAD) that could change everything - but you find yourself stuck, unable to make the progress you so desperately crave?

If you've spent months or even years paralyzed by procrastination, self-doubt, or a lack of clarity, you're not alone.

The truth is, the typical approaches to overcoming these obstacles - from sheer willpower to endless planning - rarely create lasting results.

That's because they fail to address the root psychological causes of what's holding you back.

But what if there was a science-backed solution that could rewire your brain, unlock your inner sage, and give you the mental fitness to pursue your most challenging goals with unwavering focus and determination?

Get ready to discover the transformative power of a solution that goes beyond surface-level tactics to create deep, sustainable change from the inside out. If you're ready to stop struggling and start soaring toward your BHAD, read on.

The Problem

You are an ambitious visionary woman who has a Big Hairy Audacious Dream. You have your sights set on huge, life-changing goals.

(If you are not familiar with the term BHAD, it's because I made it up. It's a variation of the term "big hairy audacious goal (BHAG) which was coined by Jim Collins and Jerry Porra in their book Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies.” )

And yet, despite your grand vision, you find yourself stuck. You have made little or no progress in the past 6 months.

You are no closer to making your dream your reality than you were when you first started to dream big.

Benefits of Achieving your Big Hairy Audacious Dream

Achieving a Big Hairy Audacious Dream (BHAD) can have profound and far-reaching benefits.

Here are some of the key advantages:

1.  Personal growth and transformation: The process of pursuing a BHAD will stretch you in ways you never thought possible. You'll develop new skills, overcome fears, and discover inner strengths you didn't know you had. Achieving your BHAD will represent a major milestone in your personal development journey.
2.   Increased confidence and self-belief: Accomplishing something that once seemed impossible can dramatically boost your self-confidence. You'll have tangible proof of your ability to set and achieve ambitious goals, which can fuel your belief in yourself in all areas of life.
3.  Greater resilience and adaptability: The path to a BHAD is rarely smooth. Overcoming the many challenges and setbacks along the way will build your resilience and adaptability, equipping you to handle future obstacles with greater ease and resourcefulness.
4.  Enhanced sense of purpose and fulfillment: BHADs are deeply connected to your values and the impact you want to make. Achieving your BHAD can give you an immense sense of purpose and fulfillment, knowing that you're living in alignment with what matters most to you.
5.  Expanded opportunities and possibilities: Achieving a BHAD often opens doors to new opportunities and possibilities that weren't available before. It can change how others perceive you and how you perceive yourself, broadening your horizons and revealing new paths forward.
6.  Inspiring others and leaving a legacy: When you achieve something extraordinary, it can have a ripple effect that inspires others. Your BHAD achievement can serve as a powerful example of what's possible, encouraging others to pursue their own audacious dreams. It's a way to leave a meaningful legacy.
7.  The satisfaction of living to your full potential: Perhaps the greatest benefit of achieving a BHAD is the deep satisfaction that comes from knowing you've pushed yourself to your limits and realized your full potential. It's the fulfillment of living a life that is true to your grandest vision for yourself.

Ultimately, achieving a BHAD is about much more than just reaching a specific goal. It's about the person you become in the process – the growth, the resilience, the self-discovery, and the impact you make along the way. It's about living a life of authenticity, courage, and purpose.

Consequence of NOT Achieving your Big Hairy Audacious Dream

The consequences of not achieving our Big Hairy Audacious Dreams (BHADs) can be significant and far-reaching.

Here are some of the potential negative impacts:

1.  Regret and unfulfilled potential: One of the biggest consequences of not pursuing or achieving your BHAD is the lingering sense of regret and unfulfilled potential. You may always wonder "what if?" and feel that you never truly tested your limits or lived up to your full capabilities.
2.  Decreased self-confidence and self-belief: If you continually shy away from your BHADs, it can erode your self-confidence over time. You may start to doubt your ability to set and achieve big goals, which can spill over into other areas of your life.
3.  Stagnation and lack of growth: BHADs are designed to push us out of our comfort zones and spur growth. Without them, we risk stagnating and remaining stuck in our current realities. We may miss out on valuable opportunities for personal and professional development.
4.   Reduced sense of purpose and meaning: Our BHADs are often tied to our deepest values and the impact we want to make in the world. If we don't pursue them, we may feel a lack of purpose and meaning in our lives, as if we're not living in alignment with what truly matters to us.
5.   Limited impact and legacy: By not achieving our BHADs, we limit the potential impact we can have on others and the world around us. We miss the opportunity to create something truly remarkable and leave a lasting legacy.
6. Diminished resilience and adaptability: The challenges we face in pursuing our BHADs help us build resilience and adaptability. Without these experiences, we may be less equipped to handle setbacks and changes in other areas of our lives.
7.  Living with the discomfort of an unlived life: Perhaps the most profound consequence of not achieving our BHADs is the gnawing sense that we're not living the life we truly want. This can lead to feelings of dissatisfaction, frustration, and even depression.

It's important to note that not achieving a BHAD is not a failure if you've given it your all. The process of pursuing the dream, even if the outcome is different than expected, can still yield immense growth and learning. The real failure is not in falling short of the dream, but in never daring to dream big in the first place.

Ultimately, the cost of not pursuing our BHADs is the cost of an unlived life - the cost of never knowing what we're truly capable of, never fully expressing our unique gifts, and never making the impact we were born to make. While chasing our BHADs can be scary and uncertain, the alternative - living a life of "what ifs" and unfulfilled potential - is often far more daunting in the end.

Typical Approaches To Try To Solve The Problem (and Why They Don't Work)

When people struggle with putting off working on their Big Hairy Audacious Dreams (BHADs), they often resort to a few typical approaches to try to solve the problem.

These typical approaches to overcoming procrastination on Big Hairy Audacious Dreams (BHADs) often fail because they don't address the root causes of the problem.

Here are some of the most common approaches and why each approach falls short:

1. The "Just Do It" Approach:

People try to muscle through their resistance and force themselves to take action through sheer willpower and discipline. They might use tactics like setting rigid schedules, making strict commitments, or punishing themselves for not following through.

While willpower and discipline are important, they are finite resources. Trying to force yourself to take action without addressing the underlying emotional and psychological barriers is like trying to drive a car with the handbrake on. You might make some progress, but it will be exhausting and unsustainable in the long run.

2. The "Perfect Plan" Approach:

Some people believe that the key to taking action is to have the perfect plan in place. They spend an endless amount of time researching, strategizing, and refining their approach, but often get stuck in analysis paralysis and never actually start taking meaningful steps forward.

Perfectionism and over-planning are often a form of procrastination in disguise. By focusing on creating the "perfect" plan, you avoid the discomfort and risk of actually taking action. But the truth is, no plan is ever perfect. At some point, you have to leap and trust that you'll figure it out as you go.

3. The "Inspiration Seeking" Approach:

Others try to solve the problem by continually seeking out new sources of inspiration and motivation. They read self-help books, attend seminars, listen to podcasts, and try to pump themselves up with positive affirmations and vision boards.

While inspiration and motivation can be helpful, they are also fleeting. If you rely on always feeling inspired to take action, you'll inevitably hit a wall when the enthusiasm fades. True progress comes from consistent action, even (and especially) when you don't feel like it.

4. The "Lower the Bar" Approach:

When the BHAD feels too overwhelming, some people try to make it feel more manageable by lowering their standards or reducing the scope of their dream. They settle for a watered-down version of their original vision in the hopes that it will be easier to achieve.

While it's important to set achievable goals, lowering your standards too much can be demotivating. If your BHAD no longer inspires and excites you, it will be hard to maintain the energy and commitment needed to achieve it.

6.  The "Waiting for the Right Time" Approach:

Many people fall into the trap of believing that they need to wait for the perfect conditions before they can start pursuing their BHAD. They tell themselves they'll start when they have more time, more money, more skills, or when the circumstances are just right.

The truth is, there's never a perfect time to start pursuing a BHAD. Life is always full of challenges and distractions. If you wait for the ideal conditions, you'll be waiting forever. The "right time" is whenever you choose to start.

7. The "Distraction and Avoidance" Approach:

Perhaps the most common approach is to simply avoid facing the BHAD altogether. People fill their lives with distractions and busy work, convincing themselves that they're too busy or that their dream isn't really that important.

Distractions and busy work can temporarily numb the discomfort of not pursuing your BHAD, but they don't make it go away. In fact, they often increase the underlying sense of dissatisfaction and frustration.

At their core, all of these approaches fail because they attempt to treat the symptoms of procrastination rather than the cause. They don't address the deeper fears, beliefs, and emotional blocks that are really driving the resistance.

The Better Way to Solve the Problem

Mental Fitness Training offers a more effective and sustainable solution to overcoming procrastination on Big Hairy Audacious Dreams (BHADs) because it addresses the root causes of the problem at a deep, psychological level.

Here's how Mental Fitness Training solves the problem better than the typical approaches:

1. It focuses on building self-awareness:

The first step in building mental fitness is to help you become more aware of your own thought patterns and mental habits. Through practices like the PQ reps (brief mindfulness exercises), you learn to catch yourself when you're falling into negative thought patterns or giving in to procrastination. This awareness is crucial because you can't change what you're not aware of.

2. It weakens the influence of the "Saboteurs":

You learn to identify the negative voices in your head that cause you to procrastinate as "Saboteurs." These could be voices of fear, self-doubt, perfectionism, or any other limiting belief. By learning to recognize and label these Saboteurs, you start to weaken their power over you. You realize that they are just thoughts, not truths.

3. It strengthens the "Sage" perspective:

In contrast to the Saboteurs, you learn to cultivate your "Sage" - the wise, resilient, and positive part of your mind. As you strengthen your Sage through specific mental exercises, you develop a more balanced and empowering mindset. You learn to respond to challenges with curiosity, empathy, and creative problem-solving rather than fear and avoidance.

4. It rewires your brain at a neurological level:

Mental Fitness Traning is not just about changing your thoughts; it's about actually rewiring your brain. Through consistent practice, you build new neural pathways that support positive habits and weaken the old pathways that led to procrastination. This makes the changes more automatic and sustainable over time.

5. It provides a daily practice:

Unlike many approaches that rely on one-time bursts of motivation, Mental Fitness Training is designed as a daily mental fitness practice. Just like physical exercise, the benefits come from consistency over time. By committing to small, daily mental fitness practices, you gradually build the mental muscles needed to overcome procrastination and pursue your BHADs with clarity and determination.

6. It addresses the emotional root causes:

Procrastination is often driven by deeper emotional factors like fear, anxiety, or lack of self-worth. Through practices like the "Sage Perspective" and "Empathize and Explore," you learn to meet these emotions with compassion and curiosity rather than judgment. This helps to diffuse their power and allows you to move forward despite the discomfort.

7. It cultivates intrinsic motivation:

Rather than relying on external accountability or pressure, Mental Fitness helps you tap into your own intrinsic motivation. By connecting with your Sage and clarifying your deeper purpose, you develop a stronger internal drive to pursue your BHADs. This intrinsic motivation is more sustainable and resilient than external factors.

In essence, Mental Fitness Training works because it helps you develop a fundamentally different relationship with your own mind. Instead of fighting against your procrastination or trying to force yourself to change, you learn to work with your mind in a more skillful and compassionate way.

By weakening the influence of the negative patterns that cause procrastination, and strengthening the mental muscles that support clarity, resilience, and action, my program helps you develop the inner foundation needed to consistently pursue your BHADs over the long term. It's a comprehensive, science-backed approach that goes beyond surface-level tactics to create deep, lasting transformation.

Are you intrigued by the concept of Mental Fitness Training and want to find out more about what it's all about? Join me at my free live Training. Learn the Proven Technique that has helped so many women just like you overcome the mental roadblocks that stood in the way of their biggest dreams.

I'll be doing sessions on different days and at times at the end of this week and early next week. Choose a day and time that works best for you. Save your seat here.