Saturday, January 10, 2009

Tough Times - Part 4 - Small steps - Do Something

Times are tough and it is easy to get overwhelmed and stuck. I offer this reflection from Chris Trout at http://www.strengthsinfocus.com -

This week's reflection is about you. How is it going? Are you moving toward what you want? "A-a-ck" you say! "Be careful where you tread. I'm feeling a little vulnerable these days."

Why is this so often the way it feels? For we...
  • Want to take action in our lives.
  • Intend to ask for and advocate for what we want.
  • Are committed to taking the first steps.
  • Are determined not to let another day pass.
But it (another day) does pass. And we don't (act). And we regret. And we lose steam. Then time goes by, we have an insight or revelation that will make it all different this time, and we start the whole process over again (albeit having peeled back yet another layer of our ever-so-complicated psyches).

Sound familiar? Here's the good news: You are so not alone. Here's the bad news: You aren't nearly as uniquely complicated as you had hoped. ("Yes I am! Leave me alone!")

So what to do?

Anything. That's right. Do any tiny, miniscule, pathetic, insignificant little thing even remotely related to what you want. It needn't be the right thing or the most productive or what anyone else thinks you should do. Just do any one thing - right now, today. Then tonight (and this is the important part), look yourself in the mirror - I mean it, literally look at yourself in the mirror - and thank yourself. Say, "________, I appreciate your action on __________. Way to go. See you back here tomorrow night." Do it again tomorrow.

This is how success works. Not very complicated. Not so dramatic. Step 1: Do any simple act to move forward. (Yes, skipping just one chip from the bag counts. Saying "hi" to one person on the elevator counts. Getting the address of the masters program counts. Noticing one tree on the way home counts. Step 2: Express gratitude to yourself and the universe that supports you. Now repeat. And repeat. And repeat.

Do these two simple, insignificant, not-so-dramatic steps every day and soon your brain will get the idea. The actions will get bigger, a little more 'significant' - all on their own. Some actions will create their own next steps. New ideas will come to you at the oddest times. An
d before you know it, you will look at where you are and say "Now how did I get here?"

When you say that, promise me this: that you will stop and smile, say "Thank you" to yourself, and relish the feeling, for you are now one of those people you used to envy, people who seem to know the secret.

Do anything... thank yourself.
Do... thank.
Do... thank.


One thing... anything... today.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You are exactly right. Big achievements start with small steps. I am working on my accessory business, and slowly I am trying to develop my concept, and the things that I want to do with it. I know need to start out slowly and take small steps so I can be ready for a bigger market. Thanks a lot!