Follow
Whenever you think of making a change in your life, the biggest obstacle is trying to make it in one leap.
Although it’s said that we should think with the end in mind, thinking of it as one step will block your progress and threaten your happiness. You are much more likely to succeed and feel gratified if you can think of one small step, one tiny move that will start your journey. Then take it.
That one small successful step boosts your self-esteem and gives you confidence to take the next one.
On his blog, Work Happy Now, Karl Staib talks about this in his article Loving What You Do is An Ongoing Process when he suggests letting go of a fixed perspective and asking yourself how you can improve by 1%.
Setting out to improve your job, your relationships or your life by just 1% at a time is so much easier to visualize and easy to do. Instead of making you fearful it is encouraging and in line with the way change occurs anyway.
If you’ve ever watched a plant, a child or a project grow, you know that the day-to-day changes are so tiny that they are imperceptible. And yet, you know that little by little they are progressing toward full growth.
Every idea, plan, dream has a first small step. Even if your goal is big one, it still has a small first step. Learn to respect that small step and congratulate yourself for taking it.
What is your big plan, dream, goal?
Whether your goal is getting a job, starting your own business, attracting a life partner, writing a book, traveling or some other wonderful thing, the progress toward it is the same. One small step.
The small step may be just gathering information, completing a phone call or application, talking to someone who is doing what you want to do or making an outline.
The ancient proverb “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” has survived for centuries not because is colorful, but because it is an encouraging reminder of the slow and steady progress it takes to accomplish meaningful and impressive work. (As a matter of fact, when I visited Rome, it was still undergoing construction.)
What one small step can you take toward your change, goal, plan today?
What a great way to look at the total picture, the fact that moving forward gradually, in 1% increments, will bring you to happiness. I like this a lot.
Like many people, I often become overwhelmed thinking about everything needed to meet my goals, but then I recognize that the small steps keep me on track.
I must keep the 1% focus in mind more often thanks to your encouragement, Flora.
I’m delighted to hear that those small steps keep you on track. The sooner we can recognize the importance of the 1% the sooner we succeed.
You’re most welcome for the encouragement. It works to keep me encouraged too.