One Step Is Enough To Carve A Way For Opportunity—Will You Take It?
I write this whilst dripping in sweat.
Panting with the biggest smile on my face.
I love this feeling.
Right in this moment,
Nothing matters.
It’s not about the results.
It’s not about whether I succeed or fail.
It’s not about my goals or future targets.
Trust me, I’m failing plenty.
But all I feel is bliss.
The sun is setting.
It’s getting chilly.
But none of that matters.
It’s just me and my rope.
Getting better, one step at a time.
I normally skip in the morning but today,
I decided to pick up my rope.
I got changed after work, and as usual, I picked up my bag to start writing.
But for some reason, I stopped.
I decided, instead, to pick up my rope and skip.
I initially intended to skip for five minutes.
Getting sweaty in the evening and then showering is a lot of effort, especially when I’m on a tight schedule.
But for some reason, against my typical logic (excuses),
I grabbed my rope and headed down to the tennis court.
After skipping and recording some videos, I started to walk away.
That was my worst session to date.
I was poorly dressed.
The wide toe on my Crocs caused the rope to constantly get caught.
Taking my Crocs off was equally unproductive; the pain from striking my toes with the rope was an incredible demotivator.
It was bad.
But I'd done more than the intended five minutes.
And since I’d achieved what I set out to do, I walked to my room.
But something in me wasn’t satisfied.
It was as if I’d been stirred.
So I quickly got changed into my running shoes, rugby shorts and started skipping again.
See, what I’d unknowingly done was kick a rock that would eventually start a landslide.
I only wanted to skip for five minutes.
Yet here I am.
In the cold.
Shorts and a T-shirt.
Skipping rope in hand.
50 minutes later.
Completely enthralled by the challenge.
Getting it right once or twice wasn’t enough.
Sticking to the orthodox style wasn’t enough.
Doing the bare minimum wasn’t enough anymore.
Why?
Because I got the ball rolling.
I started exploring.
I started challenging myself over and over.
I started shooting higher and higher.
I got a taste of the stars, and I intended to savour it.
Staying on the ground wasn't going to cut it.
I placed myself in an undeniable environment.
And took just one step.
That was all.
The rest was history.
Sometimes, to achieve the things you really want, you have to get the ball rolling.
Had I not picked up the rope, I probably would’ve waited another 3 days to skip again.
But, because I took one step, everything changed.
I didn’t wait for plenty of opportunity to appear.
I carved a way for opportunity to find me.
So, I encourage you.
Whatever it is you want to do, just get the ball rolling.
That’s all it takes.
Believe me.
One step is enough.
LM
Thank you for reading!
American psychologist Alok Konojia, or ‘HealthyGamerGG’, says:
“The absence of reflection is the reason you’re stuck.”
To solidify our growth, let’s reflect:
Petrichor’s 1-Minute Reflection:
- How did you feel before reading?
- How did you feel whilst reading?
- Do you feel any different now that you’ve finished?
- What is your one takeaway from reading this?
