The Value Of Small Steps

 There was an amazing graphic going around on social media today, and I loved it so much that I knew I had to talk about it. The graphic was a picture of a huge ladder with wide gaps between the rungs and then a picture next to it of a ladder with really small gaps between the rungs. It essentially showed that when you're moving towards a big goal or a big dream or a big vision that even those small, seemingly meaningless steps create massive results. I think we're all led to believe at one point or another that if it isn't an overnight success or if it isn't a massive leap, that it doesn't matter. But the truth is, even those small, bite sized steps can create huge leaps if you're committed to it.

So today what I want to talk about the power of those small steps that seem insignificant, that are actually more powerful than you're giving credit to. The first reason that I think that small steps are so powerful is that small steps get us started. I am a huge advocate of taking small steps because the truth is once you take a small step, you essentially build that momentum that you need to keep the energy going. That is what I love so much about small steps.

I think about my journey to trying to learn yoga. Yoga, to me was always something that felt too slow, felt too still. It didn't feel like a real workout, but I started to read up on the benefits of yoga. So instead of trying to commit to doing yoga an hour a day, I started off with just five minutes after a heavy workout, and then that five minutes turned into ten minutes. That ten minutes turned into 15 minutes. Now I'm up to the point where I can sustain at least 20 to 30 minutes in a yoga video 3x week without thinking its overrated and getting bored. Now, if I had tried to do that in the beginning, I never would have committed to it. But taking those small steps just gave me that initial momentum I need that gave me the energy to essentially be able to get started.

The second reason that I think that small steps are so powerful is because success breeds more success. So, if you think about working out, for example, let's say that you want to lose 30lbs. Are you going to lose 30lbs overnight?

Probably not. But when you lose that first 5lbs, it gives you that momentum to say, okay, how can I now get to 10lbs? How can I now get to 15lbs? I remember starting my very first business and being like, oh, my gosh, I got my first client, which means if one person said yes, that means another person can potentially say yes. That first experience and taste of success gave me that deep desire and that drive to determine how I could continue to replicate more and more of that success.

There's an old Chinese proverb that says the journey of 1000 miles begins with one single step.  

So, if you think about it, if you're waiting to define yourself as successful until you lose that 30lbs, or until you totally complete that book, or until you walk that 1000 miles, you could be waiting forever. But if you learn how to celebrate those small milestones on the way to the journey, you are inevitably going to be able to create more success with it.

The next reason that I find small steps so extremely valuable is that small steps equal consistency. And we all know what they say about consistency.

Consistency is key. Also consistency just makes work easier. The truth is, when you are consistent, you begin to build healthy habits. When you build these healthy habits because your brain likes to fall back on things that are familiar or relatable, you begin to become consistent.

Right now, your habits are currently a reflected in your current reality.

They don't feel like they matter, but the truth is, they add up. So, for example, you might be committed to watching one episode of your favorite show on Netflix every day. One hour may not feel like a lot. But by the end of the week, that's now 7 hours. By the end of the year, that's 365 hours.

So those small steps actually add up and they can either add up and work against you, or they can add up and work in your favor. And this is why when you create that consistency and you start to build that motivation and momentum muscle, you create success in the direction of your dreams. Finally, the last reason that I feel like small steps are so valuable is because small steps typically do not overwhelm you. And because they're not overwhelming, they're more likely to stick.

If you think about your journey to trying to reach your big goal, that is going to feel overwhelming. But just like the saying goes, how do you eat an elephant one single bite at a time? We don't overwhelm ourselves trying to swallow the entire elephant. We take it one small bite at a time. And that's the same way we should be approaching our goals. When you have small steps and you're less overwhelmed, you are more likely to be consistent and committed to those small steps.

The truth is, the process of creating and committing to smaller steps is more attainable, less overwhelming and easier to tackle. If you think about the old saying, how do you eat an elephant? You eat an elephant one bite at a time. How do you approach your big goals? You approach your big goals one tiny step at a time I share this with you today because I think it is so imperative that we do away with this hustle mentality. We must do away with this idea that the only way to be successful is to be an overnight success.

The truth is those small steps that we often overlook that we often downplay can create the massive quantum leap that you desire and deserve. So I want to challenge you today. What is one small step that you can commit to today in the direction of your goals that your future self will thank you for?

Comment below and let me know.