Incrementalism and the Power of the Small Step
Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together. And great things are not accidental, but must certainly be willed. — Vincent Van Gogh
It can be hugely intimidating to visualize an end you want to arrive at, and realize how far away you are from it.
You measure yourself by that distance, and the difference is your failure.
Sometimes it’s good to be “hard on yourself,” to pay attention to your life enough to make connections between your actions and results.
However, highlighting your shortcomings and focusing on your lack, can only get you so far.
As writer Benjamin Hardy, PhD has said, it is more productive to focus on your gains, and not your gap.
Lao Tzu said that “the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.” We oftentimes take for granted our ability to take small steps.
Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out. — Robert Collier
In focusing on how much distance you have to cover, you lose sight of what you have the most control over–the frequency of your steps. Instead, you lament the distance and are frozen in place.
