The Doorstep Mile
On taking that first step, even when it feels like the most scary thing to do
A few months ago, during a conversation with a friend, Christina, she mentioned a phrase I hadn’t heard before - the doorstep mile. She explained that it’s the concept of that first mile, the doorstep mile, being the hardest of all. The simple act of beginning.
The running example is a perfect one, because I think we’ve all experienced it in some form. The act of getting dressed and ready for a run can already feel challenging. That first mile (pick a shorter, more appropriate distance) feels the hardest. Your breathing is laboured, adjusting. Especially in winter, when the shock of cold air entering your airways feels sharp, and painful.
If you’re anything like me, there’s an internal dialogue going on - one of disbelief and question: why am I doing this? Followed by gentle encouragement. Not always, of course, but more often than not, I manage to find a way to cheer myself on to keep going. And once you’re out of the house, it would be a shame to turn back round, wouldn’t it?
I’ve talked about this idea before, but having a phrase that sums it up so perfectly, has been helpful. It’s something I talk about with coaching clients, too. What is the smallest, simplest steps you can take to just get going? We often think that our first action has to be bold, big. But that’s a flawed way of thinking, in my opinion. Aiming for something big, right from the very start, can feel scary, and we’re more likely to keep putting off as a result.
One of my biggest doorstep miles was when I decided I wanted to launch a podcast. It took months of thinking about it, to finally feeling ready to bite the bullet. It wasn’t without obstacles, though. One of the reasons why I kept putting it off, was because I felt that I needed to do an introductory episode, to explain what the podcast would be about. But recording a solo episode, when you’ve never done anything like it before? It terrified me. So I waited, and waited, time passed. With some external encouragement, I realised that I was allowed to make up the rules - and that meant going ahead and releasing the interviews I recorded with other creatives. There was no need for an intro episode as I previously thought. I could do it my own way.
This is one of those key moments I come back to, especially when facing new, daunting projects. I felt the same way as I prepared to bring the podcast back, after a long pause. This past week, I finally recorded a solo episode. This time round, it felt like the right thing to do, but I still found myself dragging my feet. The thing about long pauses is, it feels almost as hard as starting all over again.
And yes - I can confirm, that doorstep mile felt hard. It felt difficult to pick it back up after such a long time. But I’m happy to say that the podcast is making a return, and the first episode will be released this coming Wednesday (on my birthday, no less!). Business in Bloom has been a labour of love, and whilst the imposter syndrome often tried to talk me out of it, I really love having those conversations with other creatives. And I love sharing them with you, too.
So in a roundabout way, what I’m trying to say is this: if you’re face to face with a new project, weary of taking that first step, I hope that you find some comfort in knowing that the doorstep mile will feel hard, but it does get easier. With practice, with time, things soon become familiar, maybe even second nature. Take that first step, you never know the exciting places it’ll take you.
P.S. A little bit of research showed me that this phrase comes from Alastair Humphreys, and his book, The Doorstep Mile - Live more adventurously every day. One to add to my ever growing list of books, perhaps! He writes: “The hardest part of any journey, my expeditions have taught me, is taking the first step and beginning.”
I also came across an article, which suggests that the phrase is, in fact, Norwegian:
“In Norwegian they have a wonderful word for this threshold: dørstokmilla, the doorstep mile. It is the psychological threshold that we have to get over in order to go outside, to leave the comfort of the house behind, and set foot into nature. For some people this dørstokmilla is very short, for others the distance is much longer.”
I love that it’s described as a psychological threshold. You can read it here.
P.P.S. With thanks to Christina and The Spark Crew, for introducing me to the concept of the doorstep mile, and for hosting a writing session in her membership community, so that I could dedicate some time to writing. Sometimes that bit of accountability is all we need to get going.
Until next time,
Anna x
Things I loved this week:
High Water on Netflix - recollection of days leading up to a flood that took place in Wroclaw, Poland, in 1997
Kleo on Netflix - revenge of a former assassin - if you’re a sucker for details, this show is full of them!
‘Mindfulness exercises can be as effective as anxiety drugs’ - article -
‘Cold water swimming really does make you happy’ - article
Ohh I loved reading this Anna, certainly familiar with the difficulty in getting started. I love the part about playing by your own rules and dropping the pressure around needing an introductory episode, sometimes we just need that simple reminder that we get to choose our own rules 🤍
I love the concept of the doorstep mile. I always find it difficult to get started but when I do, I enjoy the journey. I think convincing my mind and letting go of being busy doing ‘everything else that needs to be done first’ is the biggest challenge. Thank you for sharing your challenges and empowering others through your own story 🙏