The beginning of every year I open a little notebook containing a list of goals from the previous year. It is a sobering experience in that I get to see some of the things I did complete, and some of the things that appear to have fallen off the list I spent so little time on them. As I write out my new list for the year with all the struggles of the economy on the horizon, it came to me that I like millions of others tended to focus on the entire process of the goal and then became overwhelmed. Thinking over this fact, I realized if I broke down each item into smaller parts I would feel a lot more capable once I completed them.

You have to be willing to take a long look at yourself…

You are where you are based on choices you have made in the past. You have taken some steps that put you on a road that brought you to this point. Even if through no fault of your own you were laid off, it all comes back to you in that you decided to work for the company that let you go. What happened is part of the risks we all take in terms of living our lives. Like it or not … stuff happens!

Life is a series of choices

What separates us from the lower animals is our ability to make choices. Your dog cannot systematically outline a plan and then follow it no matter how cute and cuddly he is. You on the other hand can decide the direction you want to go and plan it out. Adjustments are always in the mix, but that is part of the process in making the journey. And then, that old saying came to me: The longest journey begins with the smallest step…

Do not despise the day of small beginnings

Break down something you want to accomplish and study the parts. Then, begin with a small step that moves you in the direction of what you want to accomplish. Taking that one small step serves to build your confidence and lets you know it is possible with adjustments. I was recently reading an article titled “Change your life in 31 days” and was surprised how it emphasised that very thing. Click this link to read about some surprising journeys that started with small steps.