When we set goals for ourselves and try to introduce changes into our lives, we could often overlook the power of taking small steps to moving things forward and achieving them. Just as in creating a piece of beautiful artwork, every bit of concentration and skills, the blend of the color shades and strokes of the brush matter and contribute to the outcome. We could make a long laundry list of things that we intend to realize within a specific timeframe, only then to determine each of those individually as either feasible or not - since life happens in the midst of it all. Other times, we may have a more shorter, focused list and actually care to take small steps to reach what we want yet fail to follow through because things seem to get hard(er) in the process. As a result, we may procrastinate, turn towards gratifications, lose interest and convince ourselves that the goal is no longer worth pursuing.
The power of small steps lies in our ability in keeping at it even when we do not feel like to, while the desired outcome seems so afar. As an example, I personally find it so hard to read books with such small prints and thick in size although it carries so much value in its content. Then instead of thinking about finishing reading the entire book, I could decide to read a chapter a day. If reading a chapter daily still feels daunting, I would read a paragraph or two whenever I get the chance to. Well, that might seem like a flimsy attempt, but to do that, I would first scan the entire chapter and determine the reasonable 'breakpoints' to properly allocate my time to. This way, one chapter a day will be doable and made possible. Similarly, the idea of one hour workout per day does not quite tempt me, even as resolute as I am to keep my physiological health in check. That 60-minute body movement tricks the mind suggesting that it will be a l-o-n-g workout to begin with and I might (sadly) try to skip it thinking how packed the day already is. But it is easy to forget how the 60-minute window could also be broken down into smaller, attainable, interchangeable chunks of 30mins, 15mins, 10mins or even 5mins, and I still manage to get 60-minute workout per day. Sometimes, just by reading an additional paragraph in the book or move for that few minutes one can find in a day, are simply good enough to move the needle as long as we consistently take action to progress. Any progress is better than no progress at all. The aim here is on long-term sustainable results and not merely some short-lived happiness. So it is important to create 'rules' around that which motivate and not discourage us.
1. Focus on what you really want and not what could stop you.
When we can't see where things are going, it is easy to start feeling that what we do is of no impact at all. I love this analogy of breaking open a tightly closed door. First push would not do it, nor would the second, the third....until the sixth push, the door finally flung open. Would you say it is the magic of the sixth push or that every single push before it actually did contribute to the 'ease' of that last push which eventually knocks open the door? First push may have loosened a tiny screw, second and third pushes may have loosened a few more nuts and bolts, the fourth may actually have destroyed the latch, the fifth push gave a kick to the lock and then...the sixth push finally succeeded. Focus on the sixth push as the outcome we desire - picture it, believe it, own it - but never underestimate what the last five pushes could have done although we could not see what happens behind the scenes. The second or third push could easily demotivate us to keep trying or even assure us that it would be to no avail, but little do we know that all it takes is just three more pushes. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
2. Compare only with yourself from the previous moment.
The only person we need to compare ourselves with is the person we were from the previous moment. I know it sounds really odd but if you think about it, everyone goes through a similar (takes work, that is) but not the same (attributed to different circumstances) process in achieving great results and success. When we compare ourselves to others, it is likely that we are comparing ourselves against them with results after which they have actually completed the hard phases, while we are just getting started. Of course, we can allude to their results as inspirations to modify our ideals and suggest not more than that. It is normal that we dread to be seen starting small because we are afraid of being judged as not good enough, not smart enough, not worthy enough... Remember, oftentimes we are our own worst critics. When we understand that we only have ourselves to compare against, we are (more) free to execute and make the required progress to close the gaps from where we are to where we want to be. At the end of it all, it is not about achieving the outcome as much as it is about who we have become in the process. What an irony since I must have emphasized using the word "achieving" multiple times now. This is due to the our human nature of constantly having the desire for the next level or thing - one after another. It is a never-ending cycle of expansion.
3. Celebrate along the way.
It sounds so simple and yet it is something that we do not do enough of. Small steps breed small wins. It is these small wins, however small, that we should give ourselves credits for. This is where self-care comes in - do something else that make our hearts sing, lighten up our mood, relax our minds, or bring us joy. When we feel better, we can think clearly and more objectively. Celebrating small wins will help us get back into the game feeling more energized and uplifted to creating even more momentum that we need. Even a mere pat on the shoulder would do wonders!
There is so much truth in the well-known Chinese proverb that says, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Same goes with the wisdom in the saying of Rome was not built in a day. These proverbs exist today to pass on the teaching because it has been proven to work. All we need to do is model it! Make the first step and find leverage in taking smaller steps to accomplishing anything we want in life. Rest but don't quit. When the things we do do not seem to work, we need to be resourceful to discover the small steps that will lead to the desired outcomes. Sometimes it is not about changing our goals, but about changing our approach. If we are convinced to have tried everything, we would have found the way. One step at a time, and enjoy the process.
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