Sunny Days AheadSample

Small Steps

Sometimes it’s easy to focus so much on the big plan for our lives that we get overwhelmed, frustrated, and discouraged. Those targets can seem far off—or even unattainable—and it leads to a sense of futility in our daily lives filled with necessary but mundane tasks.

One of the best things we can do when we’re hoping to change our mindsets and our lives, as well as reach some big targets, is set small goals for ourselves. Why? Small goals help us build momentum. They help us make tangible progress toward larger goals.

Have you ever known someone who writes items on a to-do list, even though they’ve already done them, just to be able to check them off? It sounds crazy, but it’s true that even the perception of progress actually helps us make progress. It’s all about momentum. Those small goals you achieve are propelling you forward.

Reflection:

Brainstorm one or two small goals you can set for the upcoming week and track your progress as you work on them. Bonus points if these small goals (such as putting some money into savings) will help you achieve a larger, long-term goal (buying that big-ticket item you’ve been wanting).