The DASH Mindset Podcast

54. It Wasn’t Even an Elephant: Why Small Things Start to Feel So Big

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After an unplanned podcast hiatus due to tech avoidance and a little story inflation, Sheri is back with an honest conversation about the stories we tell ourselves…and how they quietly keep us stuck.

In this episode, Sheri unpacks why manageable tasks turn into overwhelming “elephants,” how perfectionism and accountability (or the lack of it) fuel avoidance, and why progress almost always starts with a tiny, imperfect step. It’s a reminder that most of what we avoid isn’t actually as hard as we tell ourselves it is.

If you’ve been putting something off, overthinking a simple next step, or telling yourself a convincing story about why “now isn’t the time,” this episode is your nudge forward.

Because most of the things we avoid aren’t actually elephants at all. They’re more like squirrels…chaotic and distracting, but completely manageable.

 

What This Episode Might Shift for You

  • A more realistic perspective on the thing you’ve been avoiding

  • Less pressure to have it all figured out before you begin

  • Permission to take a small, imperfect first step

  • A more grounded, realistic story about what’s actually required

    • In This Conversation

    • Why Sheri was MIA for a while… and what was happening behind the scenes

    • How accountability (or the lack of it) impacts follow-through

    • Why we avoid things we’re fully capable of doing

    • How perfection turns small tasks into massive mental projects

    • Four practical ways to shrink the story and move forward

      • Try This After Listening
      • Name the thing you’ve been avoiding…out loud if possible

      • Identify the smallest first step rather than focusing on the entire project

      • Ask yourself: What’s the 60-second action I could take today?

      • Give yourself permission to be a beginner and move forward imperfectly

        • And listen to my friend Sue’s podcast that I mentioned! Susan M. Barber at The Visibility Factor Podcast.

         

        Closing Thought

        If something in your life has gotten bigger in your head than it actually is, this is your reminder: stories can be rewritten, and momentum starts small.

        If this episode resonated, please share it, subscribe, and stay tuned…Sheri is officially back. The elephant has been eaten.

         

        Thanks for listening!


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          The DASH Mindset PodcastBy Sheri Zevenbergen