The powerful baby steps!

The butt of all jokes around this time of the year is the poor old New Year Resolution. Friends quip that either resolutions stop motivating them, or they stop chasing the resolution out of their own will (or un-will!). So then, it’s better to have a state of no resolution than carrying the annual guilt of an unfulfilled one.?The more persistent and resilient souls around me gave me another perspective ( an an interesting one!) to keeping and holding on to the New Year resolutions . Step 1 – They make a Resolution , and Step 2 – They Start Small. Full Stop!

To think of it, isn't it natural to start small- baby steps before the firm walk, alphabets before the sentences, tables before the math problem, notes before the tune!?

Cut to reality, The most common resolutions made are “To Exercise More” or “To read one book a month”. So Step 1 is mostly accomplished. Well Done! Historically the goals like Exercise More is also accompanied with an enrolment (investment) into a gym membership and sadly followed by unused gym membership. Similarly, most of us don’t end up completing even 1 book. What are we missing here? What is stopping us from being Work In Progress. It is the absence of Step 2.

The book Atomic Habits talks about the importance of making small changes everyday, in order to build lasting habits. The book argues that small changes, made consistently over time, can add up to significant improvements in the long run.

So, the miracle lies in Starting Small. To break down our resolution into smaller goals, preferably into actions, that do not require more than 15 minutes of our daily time - 15 mins of walk, one page of reading, one call to a friend, 15 minutes of meditation, 15 minutes to anything. IT IS actually as simple as this.

Want to change your life? Start keeping small promises to yourself. Something that takes no more than 10 minutes each day. When we overload ourselves, our subconscious mind creates resistance, and we give up. Baby steps are the true path. Dr. Nicole LePera ??

Some personal benefits of starting small that I have observed and experienced are:

• Helps me start: Starting small can help one begin because it allows to take action right away, rather than spending months or years planning and preparing
• Helps me build momentum: When one starts with small steps, it's easy to see progress and feel a sense of accomplishment. This can help stay motivated and focused on the goal.
• Helps me overcome the fear of failure: When one starts with small, manageable steps, one is less likely to become overwhelmed by the task at hand, and more likely to stay motivated and focused.
• Helps me stay flexible and adaptable: One can adjust plans as one learns more about the task at hand. This can help stay agile and responsive to changes in the environment, which can in turn increase chances of success.

In a nutshell, by starting small, one can make the process of change more manageable and less daunting by allowing focus on one area of improvement at a time.

There are some interesting habit tracking apps that one can use. Adds a bit of thrill and measure. I use Loop Habit Tracker ( It is simple and Free!).

So before we end January, hopefully there will be another attempt to revive the resolve for resolution. Will love to hear your experience through it!

#coaching #midlife #career #behaviors #workinprogress #ForeverWIP