Success is a funny old thing.

Because it’s so hard to measure!

In fact, it’s a totally subjective idea that means completely different things to different people.

Let’s imagine you’re a wannabe author…

You dream of being on the bestseller list… getting invited to big literary events… poring over wonderful reviews in your dressing gown while sitting in the kitchen of your big new house in the country.

But the reality is that you need to write your first draft.

Unless you do that, you cannot possibly achieve that dream.

So while a bestseller is the ultimate goal, it’s not the only marker of success.

Getting a first draft done is one success milestone… getting an agent is another… getting a publishing deal is another… and so on.

The same goes for creating your first online course (or any other online business for that matter).

It can feel like, unless you make six figures in your first launch your new venture is a failure.

After all, you are nowhere close to your dream of a life-changing income, with your own business empire and the freedom to work whenever you choose…

But let’s take a step back for a moment.

Small Goals Are as Crucial as Big Goals

In today’s digital world of influencers, gurus and coaches, all boasting of their success, it’s easy to feel like you need to reach their level IMMEDIATELY.

“If I’m not one of them,” you think, “I’ve failed”.

And this can often lead to inaction, burnout, or giving up on your dream when your expectations aren’t met.

But social media paints a distorted picture, where people only showcase their wins.

You don’t often see the long journey of ups and down that they undertook to get there.

Of course you need to have a big, audacious goal when you set out to start a home business.

However, I believe the most significant milestone of success is when a stranger on the internet pays you money for something you’ve created (ie. your online course) for the very first time.

Let me tell you, there’s nothing like the buzz you get from that first sale, from a person you’ve never met, who likes what you have to say and wants your help.|

When the first online sale notification for my new online course popped into my inbox at 3am something clicked.

It’s not just about the money, it’s the validation of your course idea, and the knowledge that, if you can make one sale, you can definitely make more, again and again and again.

That’s as crucial a milestone as hitting 6 or 7 figures.

And you should celebrate this as much as you’d celebrate a major success.

Which brings me to that great quote from Simon Sinek – “Dream big. Start small. But most of all, start.”

Sinek gained recognition after his 2009 TED Talk, ‘How Great Leaders Inspire Action,’ where he popularised the concept of ‘Start With Why’.

He emphasised the need to have a big goal that you can strive for – something of significance and meaning that will give you a sense of purpose and drive.

But dreaming big is not enough.

Without Action, Nothing is Possible

To get to your ultimate destination, he said, you need to take manageable steps towards that goal – which means setting yourself smaller targets.

For instance, rather than thinking “6 figures”, think “first sale.”

Most importantly, you need to take action, rather than fixating on the dream.

That means making a plan, breaking it down into steps, and then scheduling the tasks required into time slots that you will stick to.

Include significant milestones like…

* The first outline completed 🥳
* The final course uploaded, ready to publish 🥳
* My first sales 🥳

Celebrate each one, knowing that they are crucial to your ultimate success.

And if you feel disappointed by the results, remember that not every course will hit six figures.

It doesn’t mean you have failed.

Instead it has PROVEN that you can create and sell a course.

Which means you can do it again – and again!

And each time, it will get better and better!

If you want some help on one of your very first steps…why not use my 60 second course name generator…to help you name your (future) course!

There’s nothing quite like getting a course name for spurring you into action.

You can access it for free here