MAKE LITTLE VICTORIES
Do something.
I mean it. Start doing something. The joy of making little steps is that you cannot expect yourself to make a single giant leap.
For instance, too many people decide they need to get in shape, so they start a massive workout program that completely burns them out in 2 days. They decided that the complete transformation must happen overnight.
Unfortunately, they soon quit and tell themselves that it’s just proof they were never meant to work out. Or they tell themselves fitness wasn't that important in the first place. They stew on how they failed to complete the transformation perfectly and so they give up bothering. A lot of times, they secretly desire to get rid of the transformation pressure and prefer the idea of going back to being comfortable.
When we fail to start or finish our goal, we make excuses.
We tend to make excuses like:
I’m too old
I’m too young
I’m not smart enough
I’m not athletic enough
I’m not _______________
Or:
No one would ever listen
Nobody will ever help
Who would want what I offer?
Why would anybody care?
THE POWER OF LITTLE VICTORIES
Get all of your excuses down on paper. Then throw the paper away and start. There are so many things we never try because the excuses get in the way. Excuses choke out our passion, hope, and drive. They define us and we either give in or fight through them.
Our little victories help us in the fight against the excuses. Since the little task is so small, the excuses more than likely don't matter.
How about a small personal example?
MY OWN STORY OF DOUBTS
I battle with my age. I’m not old by any means but I recognize that I am no spring chicken either. When I look at the progress or achievements of people who are my age or younger than me, I can easily get swept up in the lie that I’m just too old to pursue my desires.
However, if I pursue my own business by setting up an ad and boosting it for the day, then I’ve done a little step that has no concern for my age. 100-year-olds can set up ads. So can 15-year-olds.
My age becomes a non-factor in the task department because it does not affect each of the little goals. Instead, the results come from compounding little goals, and I grow in confidence during the process.
WHAT DOUBTS DO YOU HAVE?
Maybe you’ve told yourself you’re not smart enough to do something. In reality, most people are not all that smart. And even if you are not quite as smart as the others, that doesn’t mean your hard work and persistence can’t help your progress. Intelligence is not as powerful of an indicator of success as you'd think. Instead, success leans toward those who work hard, are creative, take risks, and have a sense of urgency.
After all, in the end, that’s what it’s about. Unfortunately, the number one mistake we make is comparing ourselves to others. We give up on the little steps or pursuing progress because we see how far someone else has gone or what they’ve accomplished and we determine our little steps will never get us there.
It’s an absolute lie. They got to where they were with little steps. Even the people who are “new” on the scene have put in a lot of work that no one ever saw.
They persevered and did not let excuses or negative thinking stop them from pursuing their dreams. They didn't let comparisons destroy them.
LEARN FROM OTHER'S LITTLE VICTORIES
When you look at those who are more successful than you, be sure to learn from what they do and take what works for you, but as soon as the negative feelings or excuses start to creep in – kill those negative mindsets with everything you have. Stick to the little improvements each day. Commend yourself on achieving those steps. Grow the steps a tiny bit each time. Do not allow space for excuses or comparisons.
Let's say you want to grow your push-ups total. Start with 1 or 2 on Day 1. After a couple days, add 1 or 2 more. Slowly add in more as you get better at doing push-ups, and you’ll find that you’ve gained a lot of progress by simply adding a few every couple of days.
It may take you a while, and you may struggle with some plateaus, but remind yourself that the little step is taking action, not necessarily having to grow the step every single time.
YOUR DAY WITH LITTLE VICTORIES
Your day should be filled with those little steps that move you towards bigger goals.
If you want to start your own business, get fit, build a relationship, or even get a job, then start taking small steps. Those steps may include discipline in other areas, which easily carry over to the rest of life.
Perhaps your first couple of days could look something like this:
7:00am – 5 push-ups
7:15am – healthy breakfast
8:00am – read your Bible and spend time in prayer
8:30am – register your business's LLC
9:00am – go to work
5:00pm – call or text a friend and see how they’re doing
If you follow this routine, then you’ll achieve 6 little goals in a single day. You worked out, ate healthy, grew with the Lord, started a business, earned money, and fostered relationships.
LITTLE VICTORIES WORKS
I’m telling you, the little steps work. You simply have to stop expecting yourself to achieve your goals in a single day. If you can take that pressure off your back, you’ll feel a lot freer to grow yourself each day.
The best part is that this is how the most successful people in the world get so much done. They narrowly focus on breaking down their big goals into little goals and scoring those little goals day after day. They know they can’t get everything done in a single day or time block, so they take their goals and figure out what the little steps might look like to get them farther along.
Take some time to figure out a goal or two and break it down into little steps. Learn to love the journey as you grow, and you’ll find that the process of slowly building towards your goals is more satisfying than achieving the goal itself!
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