Thomas Edison once said that “our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” The inventor of the light bulb tried just one more time at least 1000 times, before finally discovering the right filament that would produce light for several hours.
A rich and fulfilling life is a journey with many ups and downs. Tall cliffs and steep inclines are part of it every day. But if we don’t give up, these are the very things that will strengthen us, build character, and help us succeed.
Often we allow our fears and past failures to discourage us. We tell ourselves that it’s impossible, can’t be done, we’ve tried many times with no results. This means our focus is in the wrong place. We need to focus on our dreams and possibilities, not on how many times we mess up to get there.
But how can we reach our big goals? How can you fulfill your dream of say, being a triathlon athlete if you’re overweight and don’t even exercise? The truth is that we may have a big plan for our lives, but that plan is made up of tiny, daily goals, that together will help us achieve success.
Take a puzzle for example. A 5000 piece puzzle. The picture on the box is beautiful and you know how wonderful it will be to get it all put together. The feeling of accomplishment can be incredible. Those who have built large puzzles know that a 5000 piece puzzle cannot be completed in just one hour. It takes several hours, or even days, to go through each little piece and find out exactly where it needs to go. Slowly but surely though, the puzzle starts taking form and the picture starts to make sense. Seeing the progress motivates us to continue the puzzle until it is all put together. Ahh, a job well done.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step” said Lao Tzu. And then after that you take the next step, and the next. It is those little steps put together, one foot in front of the other, that will take you to your destination. Blogger Rebecca from Simple as That said it beautifully in a recent instagram story. “I truly believe that small and simple things done consistently on a daily basis can add up to incredible changes over time!”
So use your fears and past failures as learning tools and aim high. Write down your goals and then take tiny steps, every day, to reach them. If your goal is to lose 50 lbs, start with journaling a food log, or drinking one extra glass of water per day. Include more plant foods into your diet one meal at a time. If you are wanting to exercise, begin by putting your tennis shoes on. Then set your alarm for 5 minutes. Walk those 5 minutes every day and return home. If you want a clutter free home, then start with that one small drawer, bookshelf, or small corner of the floor. Just don’t give up. Press on. Try and try again. And whatever goal you have, divide it into small steps you can take every day to achieve it. Small pieces of the beautiful puzzle that is your life.
Photo by Ryoki Iwata on Unsplash