By: Ken Austin
When striving to achieve your goals, never underestimate the power of small steps. To put this into perspective, the best example to use is that of a baby learning to walk.
A baby learns to walk by:
Holding onto the hands of his parents and taking un-coordinated steps.
Using a baby-walker.
Using furniture as support to take sideways steps.
Letting go of the furniture and falling down.
Persisting.
Suddenly, as if by magic - baby's first steps. Soon, his confidence grows and after a while he is running, jumping and skipping effortlessly as fast as his feet can carry him.
This is how you learned to walk, speak and to do most other things you now take for granted. When undertaking any new task or learning a new skill, many people feel a sense of failure when they fail to perfect it immediately. Failure only comes from giving up.
How many people have you ever met who can pick up a guitar for the first time and play a solo? How many people have you ever met who learned to drive on the first lesson, without any private practice? I would assume the answer is: none.
When we are learning to drive, the goal is "driving competence." This is achieved by learning to master smaller competencies such as observation, braking, gears, traffic signals etc. It is only through learning and practicing each skill that we are able to drive safely.
A seemingly impossible task is more achievable when it is divided into many smaller tasks. If you have a lifetime ambition or a 5 year goal, why not divide it into smaller, more achievable goals? For each smaller goal you achieve, you are one step closer to your ultimate goal. Not only will this be more rewarding, but it will keep you focused and motivated.
With each step taken, you will become more competent. With time you will learn to run, skip and jump just like you did when you were learning to walk. Achieving your goals will become effortless, and one day you will achieve your dreams.
Good luck. Once you've learned to walk, learn to run, once you've learned to run maybe you can learn to fly.
