The Power of Small Steps

Imagine a child trying to run before he can walk. He will fall down, hurt himself, get discouraged and develop a fear of running. When we try to tackle a challenge, change a habit or learn a new skill, it’s important to remember the propelling power of small steps. Moving out of our comfort zone is very uncomfortable. There is an almost irresistible urge to give up, and go back to status quo. It is this urge that needs to be defeated, and small steps lead the way to victory.  

James Clear talks about the power of tiny changes in his book Atomic Habits. Start with a small goal, that is easy enough for you to do, and execute it regularly. For e.g., if you want to develop a reading habit, DO NOT set yourself a goal of finishing a book in 5 days (if you are beginning a reading habit). You are bound to fail and get discouraged. Start with a small goal like reading 1 page every day, or 1 page every alternate day. Commit to it, and make it happen. If you skip it any time due to some difficulties, then make sure you don’t skip it a second time. The more you skip, the greater your inertia towards the goal. You will also lose any gains that you have made.

Every time you accomplish your small goal, you will feel happy with yourself which improves your self-esteem. And this is where the magic starts to happen. Anything that raises our self-esteem has the power to hook us.

Instead of trying to avoid the pain of moving out of the comfort zone, you will now look forward to that rush of increased self-esteem that comes along with accomplishing your goal. This can grow into a fantastic virtuous cycle, as long as you stay committed to your goal. Increase your goal by small amounts over time, and the benefits will start compounding.

As your self-esteem increases, so does your joy, and this “feel good” advantage will spread to other parts of your life as well. With small steps, your capability increases slowly, but your confidence and joy increases exponentially. This confidence and joy is the X –factor that will propel you forward, bringing you untold benefits in the long run.

Think about what is the one thing you need to do differently to become more effective in your life. Is it exercise / a new skill / meditation / a hobby? What is the smallest goal you can start with, that is easy to do on a regular basis – a 20 minute walk every alternate day / new skill classes once a week / 5 minutes meditation a day?

Just do it, and look forward to increased energy, happiness and satisfaction with life.

Gulshan Walia - I am a Human Capital consultant and coach, and my main areas of work are leadership development, coaching, behavioural skill workshops, performance management and HR processes. Here is an overview of my coaching practice. Drop me a note at [email protected] if you are interested.

View my website at www.infinitzusconsulting.com to learn more about my areas of work