Small steps that make the big difference

Small Things Make the Biggest Difference

Recently, I have found myself going back to the same idea — small things make a big difference. #Chunking down as it is known as in #NLP (#NeuroLinguisticProgramming). I’ve observed this being true, not only in my coaching practice, but also in my own life. It is this idea that informs my work the most.

As children, we had the freedom to run wild with our dreams, but as we grew older, they began to look unrealistic. A mirage of an oasis in the desert— momentarily comforting, but ultimately intangible. We can put so much pressure on ourselves that we enter a strange paradox in which the things we most desire also become the hardest things for us to work on.?

Often, what holds us back is the inability to #visualize the path that would get us there. There is a tendency to believe that success is gained overnight, but this is rarely the case. As cliché as it is, a journey of a thousand miles does begin with a single step!

James Clear, in his world-renowned book, #AtomicHabits, constantly reiterates this idea — success is the culmination of a multitude of smaller, seemingly insignificant habits. Breaking down huge, far-off goals into smaller, more digestible chunks can help you break the cycle of paralysis and overwhelm. As James Clear succinctly puts it

“When making plans, think big. When making progress, think small.”

In my coaching sessions, I often ask my clients to imagine two images – one of themselves and one of what they find challenging. When these images are compared side-by-side, the challenge often seems much bigger than the person's self-concept. It's no wonder that a task that seems so much larger than us can feel impossible to achieve.

Steps to achieve goals easily:

1. Chunking down: To overcome feeling the goal is too big, it's important to break down the task into smaller and smaller chunks.
2. Focus: Our conscious minds can only process 32 bits of information per second (give or take), compared to the 11 million bits processed by our brains. It's unrealistic to expect ourselves to power through a huge task when our conscious minds are bombarded with a million things to do. So, know that multitasking is a myth. Focus on what you need to do. Your focus will help the creative process of your mind to also aid in the achievement of the goal.
3. Visualize: When we visualize, it is the right imaginative part of our brain that leads the mental process. While your left brain is working at the how to achieve, the right brings in the motivation.
4. Celebrate: Being propelled by smaller wins allows us to stay on track. It changes the #SelfTalk we struggle with when goals seem too big. The congratulatory pat on the back, engages our nervous system to seek more and more reasons about why we can achieve.

I personally used to struggle with the Wide-legged Forward Bend (#PrasaritaPadottanasana) posture in yoga. I couldn't even touch my hands to the ground, let alone my head! But instead of giving up, I decided to adopt these few simple NLP techniques. I visualized myself doing it just before my daily practice. Every day, I committed to visualizing my body bending, and doing the posture, no matter how difficult it seemed. Gradually, it was as if my mind led my body and? helped my flexibility improve.

Soon, I was able to bring my hands, then my head, closer to the ground.

Of course, trying it on the nearby beach regularly, made it so much more fun. And having my daughter take a picture sure felt like a celebratory win!

This simple example demonstrates how consistency and breaking down a task into smaller parts can help us achieve our goals, no matter how challenging they may seem initially. If the task seems small enough, it is easier to accomplish.?

Your goal can be as simple as sticking to your new year’s resolution to eat healthier, or something as complex as learning to play the piano from scratch—the formula is the same! To break down the goal, be consistent with the smallest efforts, and create a system around your goals - that sets you up for success.

Here is a video to help you understand what building a system around your goals can look like!

Often, we set ourselves up for failure by perceiving our goals as vast and unattainable. But by embracing the idea that small changes can make the biggest difference, we can empower ourselves to create meaningful and lasting changes in our lives.?

There are many more NLP tools that can help you stay on course, and achieve your goals easily. Message me to know more.

When the going gets tough, what do you do to achieve your goals? Would love to know.

Meanwhile, Enjoy Self-Coaching with this free?e-book . Self-introspect regularly by?subscribing?to short & free regular 'Reflective Nuggets'

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