Figmentations

Whether you believe in the “Law of Attraction” or not, it is important to realize that a big part of being successful comes from following the “Law of Taking Action”.

Have you ever wondered, though: how big does an action need to be to count when it comes to achieving goals?

Many times, getting started is the hardest part. You may have already heard this before, but I believe it’s really true.  For example, if exercising is hard, set the simple goal of just getting yourself to the gym, or just putting on your sneakers.  More often than not, once you achieve that goal, you’ll continue to do more.

From there, it is so much easier to then follow through because you have already taken the first step.  Once you are there, that really is half the battle.  Don’t believe me?  Give it a try and see what happens.

For writing, I’ve heard that some writers set the simplest goal of committing to write at least one sentence every day.  That works since once one sentence is written, more typically will follow.

I use this small-goal strategy all the time at the gym.  On the treadmill, I rely a lot on watching the monitor.  Though, like watching water boil, time seems to go much slower when you are watching it than if you’re distracted by something.  Maybe you’ve noticed this, too?

Anyway, looking at the monitor, even though I am really targeting a longer time goal, I set mini goals to get there.  First, I plan to at least get through the first 10 minutes.  From there, it’s easier to add just another five more minutes.  Then, I’ll notice that I’ve already burned something like 120 calories, so I’ll target the next round number, say 150 calories.  After than, I’ll either look for hitting the next round mile marker or the next increment of 10 minute blocks.  Anyway, going from one milestone to another helps me get through the tedium.

Starting small isn’t playing small.  The momentum flows from there.  Many times it’s more a mental game than anything else.  For me, taking one small step at a time amounts to a big enough action to get things started and then to keep the wheels rolling.

Do you have any tricks to get yourself motivated to get started and then to keep going?  If so, please share in the comment section below.  Either way, thanks for stopping by!
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For a list of all posts in this series go to: Finding Purpose (actual links will be posted as each post becomes live.)