getting started the most important step

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.
Robert Collier

Creating goals can be stressful. In fact, any kind of change can take a toll.  Mr. Collier here has the right idea.  Make a goal and then break it down into small steps.  Each small step will seem pretty do-able and then eventually you will be almost all the way there. 

Case in point, I had a client that knew eating breakfast would be helpful to her in her weight loss goals.  Unfortunately, she didn't like breakfast, didn't want to cook and was frankly, overwhelmed by the idea and how much weight she had to lose.  When I asked her if she could eat a cracker or two crackers every morning, rather than eat nothing, she laughed and said, "yes, but that doesn't count...does it?"  Sure it counts and then perhaps she could add a strawberry to that or a carrot stick and before she knew it we would be talking full fledged breakfast.  She realized that she could break each part of her strategy into smaller goals and this way it was much easier.

This can be done with any goal that you have.  Make the steps so silly and small it borders on ridiculous and then eventually you will be soaring through the steps.  Especially, if your goals are feel good goals rather than beat myself up goals.  I think that is how goal setting came to be regarded as not so fun.

Another fun way to create some success is to make a goal poster or vision board.  Collect some magazines, buy a glue stick and some poster board and get to work.  If you don't find a nice picture of what you want you can draw it or just write it in on the poster.  I have some posters where nearly everything on them has been achieved and it gives me such a good
feeling that I don't want to throw them out. 

Here is my vision board.  I have dreams that I am still working on.  In the center of the cork board is the word "JOY" in bright hot pink letters.  I can honestly say that I have a lot of joy in my life.  I have accomplished much that I wanted to and yet I am hungry for more.  I like the feeling of taking things off my board that are already done.  It feels good to survey the dreams on the board and think up bigger ones.  Whether or not you decide to take up this challenge and create a poster or board for you dreams and goals I will leave to you but I hope that you will keep the quote in mind.  You might find it helpful if you meet a challenge or an obstacle.

Susan