“All it takes is one step, one action in the right direction to build momentum. As you fall in love with the process of taking small steps and staying committed to the plan, there’s no need to worry about when the pay off will come.”

Baby Steps

The hardest part about getting started, is getting started. We all fall into the trap of fantasizing and visualizing our goals, before we begin the process. All we can see is page 101 of our story, and if we were actually reading our own autobiography, we would probably skip everything in between to get to the good parts, but that’s not how life is designed.

Visualization is just as important as taking action because without an image of the destination or a blue print to get there, we won’t know where to start. No great feat has ever been attempted without countless hours of holding the image in mind and planning, but no great feat has ever been accomplished without taking the first step.

The “process” is a system of small steps that add up to what we like to call “success.” Every bench mark that is met and completed is a “success” that builds momentum for the next milestone in the process. As we continue to take the small steps needed to complete each bench mark, it builds confidence in ourselves that the image of our dream actually exists, and that it is possible to get there.

The first step, in taking the first step, is coming up with a plan of action to reach the image of the vision that we’re holding. Without the image of the destination, we can not formulate a plan of how to reach it. Start where you are with what you have, and as you begin to take action, the next step will come as a result of meeting each bench mark.

Just Do It

“The only way to get started is to put one foot in front of the other and to keep going until the process is automatic. Just start and the pieces will fall into place.”

By nature, every single human being is a perfectionist and this is the very reason why the majority of us either procrastinate or stay paralyzed by the fear of making a mistake. Every step we take doesn’t have to be perfect. Just get started.

We all fear failure to a certain degree but failure is a necessary step in the process of reaching success, no matter how big or small the goal. Each success in the process enables us to take the next step. Failure is where we are challenged to take away from the error and begin again more informed, and with an unfair advantage in knowing exactly what to do next.

Don’t fear failure and making mistakes, fear not learning from what you did wrong and repeating the same behavior that gave you the undesired result. Get excited about failure because in failure, the answer is revealed that will teach us more about ourselves and our creative ability to turn a thought into reality.

Go for it! The worst that can happen is that you’ll learn, the best that can happen is that you’ll proceed to the next step but either way, just do it anyway!

Compound Effect

The Compound Effect is the principle of reaping huge rewards from a series of small, smart choices.  Our present reality is an outcome of the little, seemingly innocuous decisions that have added up to your current bank balance, waist line, business success, relationship status, etc. –Darren Hardy, South Western Consulting, Rory Vaden

No matter what our goals are, all of the small details and actions count. The biggest problem with the majority of people is that we over look the small details, and then expect a big reward after putting in a little amount of mediocre effort. What lasts wont come over night, so its very imperative that we stay consistent with even the menial tasks and pay special attention to detail.

Over time, those baby steps will turn into several miles traveled and before you know it, you’ve reached your destination. Consistency and patience are key to every accomplishment and without those two components, we loose sight of how effective those small steps really are over an extended period of time

“Your result will be in direct correlation to your contribution to the completed objective.”

Keep in mind, there is a very distinct difference between constantly being busy, and effectively working with deliberate focused attention and action. Never dive blindly into any endeavor before understanding the scape of the territory you’re embarking on. Having a clear understanding of the purpose for each small step will make all of the difference and before you know it, you will have your result.

Execution with a definite purpose in mind, in addition to a hearty effort and the expectation to win, will set you apart from those who work tirelessly with no pay off and those who exert the least amount of effort to be rewarded with an unusually big pay off.

Take Away Points

Get started today. The first step can be just as simple as talking to someone who has done what you are trying to do, doing research, reading books, setting aside time for concentrated thinking to focus on what you must do, or doing nothing at all, with the purpose of clearing your mind to make room for creative thoughts.

Whether the act is mental or physical, keep in mind that you are still taking action. There should never be a day that goes by where you aren’t taking mental action by thinking about your dream or taking physical action to bring it to reality. Focus on the process and spend time working on the small details, and naturally, your sowing will bring about the desired byproduct.

The process is where character is built, and in taking special care with the small steps, you’ll transform into the person that habitually achieves the kind of success that you’re after.