Do you have a new project ahead of you? Just take baby steps to conquer Mount New.

Do you know that feeling- you have finally decided for yourself that you will start that new, maybe frightening project of Mount New. You are all in and eager to start.

Photocredit: Verena Küppers Photography

And then, when you are ready to get going Mount New seems to get higher and more difficult to hike. You look at it and start thinking- what am I doing here? Was it really me who wanted to climb up there? Do I have the necessary skills to do so? Where does the way up start?

At this point a lot of new projects get discarded, before they even started. But think back to all the new things you already conquered. Let’s start at your 3-year-old self, who had to go to kinder-garden the first time or your 6-year-old self, starting school. You managed those pretty good, didn’t you?

Or later in life when you started your first job, had your first girl-/ boyfriend, this was all exciting and also a little frightening, but you managed well.

So instead of discarding the new project start gaining strength from those past experiences. Look back and tell yourself you managed that, so there is no reason why I shouldn’t manage now.

Let me tell you about two Mount News I got started last year.

Creating this very homepage where you are reading this text. A year ago, I had no clue on how to build a homepage or write a blog. So, I started researching on Google. I found out about Webhosting services, Domains, tools like WordPress that help you create your page and a lot of other things. I am still learning new vocabulary every day.

Who would have thought that I need to know the terms SEO, Slug or Meta data? I have not fully conquered this Mount New, but I started to hike up there, finding my way one little step at a time. And sometimes I have to ask for directions from people that have already conquered this specific mountain and they help me find the right path. So, I just keep on taking tiny steps.

I started a distance learning course to become a coach. Me, the person that used to learn the most from listening to my teachers and not sitting at home and reading things. And I committed to do this for one year! But I was really interested in the new skill set, so I decided I will give my very best. And now I can already see the mountain top. There is just the exam and 3 days of practical training left.

Since I knew that just reading the paperwork I got, would not be good enough for me, I had to take counter measures. So, I thought back what helped me studying before. One of the things that always worked well for me is to write down what I understand from what I hear. So, I figured this could also work with reading.

Therefore, I know have a binder full of my own scribbles which is almost as thick as the paperwork I got, but it did work for me. Another thing I found out thanks to the internet: there are so many sources which made it sometimes challenging to not go to the next page because it was such an interesting read.  Overall, the interest in what I was studying kept me going and still does.

• Take baby steps- with time they will get you up that mountain
• Be open to learn new things- also things you never thought you would need
• Ask for help if you don’t know where to go
• If you are interested in something- you will learn it
• Just start and you will find your way
• Look back on what worked before- it will also work now

What are your experiences? How do you conquer Mount New?