When we think of all the things we need to accomplish to get to where we want to be — whether personally or in our business — we rarely stop to think about the actual end goal.
Instead, we get overwhelmed with the forty different things we believe we “must” do just to reach it. No wonder our minds spiral. No wonder it feels too much. I see this every day with my clients.
They sit down in front of me feeling overwhelmed, stuck in that familiar loop of What next? — the feeling of going around in circles, with so much to do and seemingly no time to do it. Even the simplest tasks feel undoable. Not because they aren’t capable, but because they’re looking at everything from the wrong end. And it reminds me of my mother. She was an excellent example of someone who refused to waste time on anything that didn’t give her purpose, pleasure, education, or joy. She was an avid reader, but she had a rather extreme (and fascinating) way of picking a book:
She would pick it up… and read the ending first. If she liked the ending, then she invested her time in reading the whole book. For years, I thought that was strange.
But with a wiser head, I can now see the logic in it. Her desired outcome was simple:
to read a book she enjoyed — one that met her expectations and brought her joy.
She refused to commit to something that wouldn’t lead her to the outcome she wanted. And this is exactly the approach we need to take in our businesses. Before jumping into tasks, before drowning in to-do lists, before spiralling into overwhelm…
we need to stop and focus on our desired outcome.
Only then can we gain clarity.
Only then can we map a route that actually gets us there.
When you know your desired outcome, your entire approach shifts.
Suddenly, you’re no longer reacting to everything around you — you’re choosing with intention. Most overwhelm comes from trying to hold the whole journey in your head at once.
The tasks, the timelines, the pressure, the expectations… it’s too much for any of us.
But when you anchor yourself to the outcome, something powerful happens:
You’re no longer asking, “What should I do next?”
You’re asking, “Which action moves me closer to my outcome?”
Not every task deserves your time.
Not every opportunity aligns with your direction.
Overwhelm isn’t about having too much to do —
it’s about not knowing where to begin or what truly matters.
Once the outcome is clear, the path becomes visible.
Maybe not the whole staircase, but at least the next step. Your desired outcome is that pin on the map.
It’s the clarity point.
It’s the foundation for every step forward.
Before you dive into action — pause.
These three questions will bring you out of your head and into clarity.
Not the “should” answer.
Not what everyone else is doing.
The real outcome you desire.
Your emotional experience matters just as much as the goal.
Not in six months.
Not when everything is perfect.
Just today. Success becomes far more achievable when it’s broken into moments, not mountains.
Overthinking happens when your mind tries to solve everything at once.
It’s exhausting, paralyzing, and completely unnecessary. One clear outcome changes that. Because when you choose your direction, the noise quiets.
You don’t need to know the whole path — just the next intentional step. One outcome brings:
And more peace.
You don’t need a complicated plan.
You simply need a steady rhythm:
This is your anchor.
Not ten. Just one.
Awareness builds confidence.
Confidence builds momentum. Then repeat.
Before you begin anything today — before you open your laptop or write your list — pause and ask: “What is my desired outcome?” Because once you know that, your path becomes clearer, lighter, more intentional. And again, I return to the image of my mother, standing in a bookshop, reading the ending first.
Not because she was impatient —
but because she valued her time, her joy, and her purpose. She wanted to know whether the journey was worth taking.
She wanted an ending that felt right.
An outcome she wanted to invest in. That is clarity.
That is intention.
And that is exactly what your business needs from you. Before you start today…
Pause.
Ask.
Choose. Your desired outcome is where everything begins.
