KC17: The Secret To Getting Started On Anything With Trim Tabbing Episode
In this episode, I want to share with you a powerful strategy I personally use on many occasions to getting started on anything…
And it’s called TRIM TABBING.
People often don’t get started even when it’s something they wish to do for various reasons.
One key reason is because the goal or task may seem overwhelming.
Let me give you some quick examples…
People may want to…
Change their careers
Get into a new relationship
Start their own business
Lose weight or even…
To migrate to a new country
And the list goes on.
I REALLY believe this episode will equip you to getting started on what might be a major goal or task because it has worked for me and many others.
Just What Are Trim Tabs?
Now to start…
Trim tabs are small surfaces connected to the trailing edge of a larger control surface on a boat or aircraft used to control the trim of the controls for the purpose of stabilising the boat or aircraft. It’s like a rudder on a rudder.
Richard Buckminster Fuller who was an American architect, author & inventor who lived from 1895 right up to 1983 is often cited for his use of trim tabs as a metaphor for leadership & personal empowerment.
Richard Buckminster Fuller’s Interview
He once said in a 1972 Playboy interview…
“Something hit me very hard once, thinking about what one little man could do…
Think of the Queen Mary – the whole ship goes by and then comes the rudder…
And there’s a tiny thing at the edge of the rudder called a trim tab…
It’s a miniature rudder…
Just moving the little trim tab builds a low pressure that pulls the rudder around…
Takes almost no effort at all…
So I said that the little individual can be a trim tab…
Society thinks it’s going right by you, that it’s left you altogether…
But if you’re doing dynamic things mentally…
The fact is that you can just put your foot out like that and…
The whole big ship of state is going to go…
So I said, call me Trim Tab.”
And here you can see his ethos inscribed into his gravestone…
So what Buckminster Fuller is talking about is…
LITERALLY the domino effect.
The first little action that sets in motion the rest of it until everything falls in place.
Mark Twain & Lao Tzu
Mark Twain said…
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started…
The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks…
Into small manageable tasks and then starting on the first one”.
Lao Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher and writer who lived between 604BC and 531BC said…
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step”.
So now let’s see how we can use this technique and principle in REAL practical ways.
Remember this… with any goal or task, you’re looking for the smallest action you can take immediately. One that seems to require no effort at all.
Let’s Look At 5 Quick Examples…
Starting with one I’ve always shared with others…
Suppose your goal is to start a new relationship with the opposite gender and you’re facing a lot of inertia thinking about how you’ll need to get out there and say hi to people, etc. A possible trim tab that will take less than 5 minutes is to hop on a popular dating site and to simply create a free account which will lead to you filling out your profile, browsing profiles of the opposite gender, messaging hi to those that interests you and take it from there.
This, by the way, is EXACTLY how 2 of my friends started meeting new ladies in the last few months! 🙂
Now for the 2nd example…
Say your goal is to change your career. One possible trim tab is to send a simple message to a friend who you know is already in the desired career of yours and to ask him or her out for a coffee just to better understand their career or even find out if they know of any openings.
Another possible trim tab is to hop on an online career assessment or quiz. This can be useful if you don’t have an idea for your next career move.
As a 3rd example…
Suppose you want to lose weight. Rather than wait till you join a gym membership and engage a trainer, your trim tab could be as simple as changing your top to a singlet to go for a short walk. This is especially useful if you’re “waiting for the right feeling” to arrive before you actually start exercising.
Now for the 4th example…
Let’s say your goal is to start your own business. Rather than wait till you have your perfect business plan all written or mapped out, you can google and either watch or listen to a short video or podcast on starting your own business.
Now for the final example…
Perhaps your dream is to migrate to a different country. Your trim tab could be to fill out a simple online form for a migration specialist firm to call you back or your trim tab could be to reach out to your realtor to let them know you want to rent out or sell your current place. Just some ideas here!
Notice ALL of the trim tabs I suggested takes… no more than 5 minutes?
The WHOLE IDEA of a trim tab is to… get us moving in the desired direction in AS SHORT A TIME as possible.
Now please do not despise this technique…
Here’s the magical thing about trim tabbing…
Within a trim tab, you can often find another trim tab. It’s like the 0.1% effort that creates the 1% effort that results in the 10% result which finally results in the BIG GOAL achieved!
Isn’t leverage lovely?
Making It Profitable
In wrapping up, it’s now time to put this into action.
What’s your #1 goal or task you want to get done and have been putting off for quite a while now?
Once you know what this is…
Ask yourself…
What are some things I can do RIGHT NOW… to move me towards this #1 goal or task?
Which one is the easiest for me to do RIGHT NOW?
And this will act as the trim tab for you.
For some, the #1 goal or task is to clarify your purpose & mission.
For others, it might be to explore having a mentor.
If this is you, feel free to reach out.
I’ll love to assist you get started moving in the right direction so you can have a TRULY compelling life!
Thank YOU for listening and be productive!
