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Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Small Steps Take Us The Greatest Distance

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When babies learn to walk, we congratulate every tiny step, every courageous wobble. We cheer all those tiny pieces of progress they make... Isn't it funny how we don't give ourselves that same encouragement and support as adults? Just because we're "officially" grown up (and I reserve the right to be a big kid whenever I want!), we set ourselves mammoth tasks to achieve and then get disheartened when progress is slow!
The more I work with people who show a desire in "getting better" (whether that's to be better in dealing with a challenging situation, better at leading others, better at dealing with difficult people), the more I have seen that grand gestures very rarely make the difference that lasts. It is those small steps - in and amongst the wobbles but constantly focused on "getting better" - which lead to sustained, meaningful change.
Here's the trouble with people like me(!) I run events, workshops and seminars where I'm delighted to say I enable people to feel motivated, fired up and ready for change. I have testimonials and videos and emails from people who have left feeling they've had a real awakening and are going off to rock their worlds! Yay! LOVE that!
But what can sometimes happen after people attend an event, or a teleseminar, or read a self help book is they have the rush.....and then the comedown. Within a couple of weeks they think to themselves - "I'm no further forward. Nothing's changed. That course/book/expert isn't all it's cracked up to be. This stuff DOESN'T WORK." (Ever experienced that? Be honest!)
Being positive and focused on this stuff for one day or one week won't do it. Doing twenty push ups a day isn't going to give you a washboard stomach overnight (more's the pity - sheesh). You've got to keep doing it, putting the effort and energy in - and only then will you start to see a return and some big changes in your life that you didn't even notice happening at the time.
This is where a bit of patience comes in. You all know the principle of sowing and reaping, I'm sure. You reap the harvest after you've done the work. You dig the soil, plant the seeds, water the seeds (effort), wait a while (patience) and then you reap your harvest. Effort + patience = results/reward.
In this day and age, this principle is lost on people. We've lost the art of patience. So people ask - "If I plant my seeds today and put the work in, what do I get tomorrow?" And of course the answer is - wet seeds! Instant results are so rarely seen - we need to put in the consistent small action steps in order to see our results.
You don't eat a meal in one gulp, you eat it one mouthful at a time. It's exactly the same with these actions.
Pick something small - it may even seem insignificant - that you can work on. Get it into your skin and into your psyche. Then choose something else and do the same. Keep chipping away over a period of time and you'll be surprised at how all those little steps and actions add up.
With small, simple actions, NO effort is wasted.
Whenever you try any action at first, it can seem as if you're putting in loads of effort for very little return. Keep persevering, because all those actions and small steps added together and layered on top of one another will bring you the progress and the difference you've been seeking in your chosen area. And that's a promise!
And now I'd like to invite you to claim your Free Instant Access to my "Get Better - Successfully: Personal Positive Power" Action Book when you visit http://jennyflintoft.com/killerbonus
From Jenny Flintoft - The Expert in developing personal leadership and talent, building confidence and credibility and inspiring greater personal success!
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