The Next Right Thing
I think these four words can be an answer to many of the questions we ponder, particularly when it's about what do I do now.
How should I handle this loss that I just experienced?
I just fell off my healthy eating plan, what do I do now?
I just got a promotion, and I don't know how I'm going to motivate a remote team. What if I can't do it?
I'm stuck...not making progress on my goals, how do I get unstuck?
Our school schedule just changed again, and I don't know how I'm going to make it all work and continue to do my job.
What is the ONE next thing you should do in each of the situations? Make it simple. Make it achievable. Don't overthink it. What's the next right thing to do based on how you feel in the moment?
How should I handle this loss that I just experienced? Take a moment and just cry.
I just fell off my healthy eating plan, what do I do now? Make a healthy choice at your next meal.
I just got a promotion, and I don't know how I'm going to motivate a remote team. What if I can't do it? Write down what doing it looks like.
I'm stuck...not making progress on my goals, how do I get unstuck? Think about the smallest step that would move you forward and take it.
Our school schedule just changed again, and I don't know how I'm going to make it all work and continue to do my job. Write down where the sticking points may be in the day.
These are not perfect answers but they could be the "next right thing" in a moment. When we feel stuck or not sure what we're supposed to be doing, it's easy to fall into analysis paralysis or self-doubt or just doing nothing. I think an action or a step is always better than staying in the stuck place because now you're moving, and it's easier to keep moving than to have to get started again.
The next right thing approach doesn't just have to be an answer for the big things, it can be the answer for how you manage your to-do list or how you deal with day to day challenges. It's beauty is in it's simplicity...you don't need a long-range plan. You just need to do the next right thing (without overthinking "right").
A few things that I've been using this strategy for...
I finished a milestone goal. What do I do now? The next right things have been rest & recover, go with the flow on an exercise plan, and now it's moving to create a plan for the spring. I know that I will find the next big goal but for now the right thing is to stay fit, healthy, and strengthen some weak areas.
I'm not really enjoying some of my teaching activities. The next right things have been to map the biggest pain point and then get up the courage to opt out of a teaching a specific class. I know that the class will drain me more than it will fill me up. The right thing for now was to walk away.
I've had a to-do for several months to learn how to use a tool that will help in workshop facilitation. The next right things have been to move it up on my priority list and then to call a friend who is an experienced user for a mini-training/motivational session. The right thing for now is to conquer the discomfort with learning something new and making the time for it.
If you're pondering something now, try this strategy. What's the next right thing to do? Just one step. Follow the steps in the photo...pause, breather, ponder, choose, do.