You have a goal so big it scares you. I know you do because everyone does. Deep within, there exists a dreamer. A little voice that knows how much you are capable of. Do you ever let the dreamer take you over and consider what life would be like if your deepest desires were a reality?

 

So many people walk around with their minds full of grand ideas. These ideas have the power to change lives forever. The question is, why do so few people take the time to bring their dreams to life?

 

There is a reason New Year’s resolutions do not last very long. We try to become something new overnight. And that’s not how it works. Becoming the person you want to be, takes time. It takes effort and above all else, it takes planning.

The journey

Any journey we take begins a single step. This is followed by another. Then another. Before you know it, you’re halfway there. Then the finish line approaches. If you see your dreams as the finish line then each step is what takes you from where you are now to where you want to be.

 

If you were to sign up for a marathon, would you expect to be able to run it tomorrow?

 

Most people would say no. Some would try and fail. Some see a marathon as an impossible task even though we’ve been running them for hundreds of years. Others would say ‘I haven’t trained for that. Give me some time and a plan and I will’.

 

If you’re a person who has never run before, you might start with a short run. Maybe 1 minute. This sounds crazy but 1 minute builds to 2 minutes. 2 minutes build to 5 minutes. 5 minutes builds … you get the point. By breaking the 26.2 miles into these smaller parts, the goal seems a whole lot more achievable.

 

Life is a marathon. Not a sprint.

 

Stop looking for quick wins. Build the foundation. Plan and commit to small daily wins. This will set you up for success. You’ll build habits that carry over to all aspects of your life.

 

Having a journal makes this whole journey easier. It acts as a way to organise your milestones into achievable actions. You can break your big goals into smaller goals. Then take those and break them down again. Make these non-negotiable daily actions and they soon add up.

 

Setting aside 10 minutes a day to your goals gives you 3650 minutes at the end of a year. That’s 60.8 hours of action towards your aspirations. Can you allow more time? Excellent. Do it. Why not start with 10 minutes a day and add 1 minute a day each week. By the end of the year, you’ll be committing 61 minutes a day to your goals. Over a year, this is 12922 hours! That’s almost 9 days of your year solely dedicated to building something. 

 

If you don’t have 10 minutes don’t worry. Remember. It’s your journey. The act of taking the time to reach your dreams is all that matters. It doesn’t matter how long it takes.

Why small steps are better

Less daunting - When you look at a list of tasks, big actions are scary. With small steps, you perform actions that seem far less daunting. This in turn means you’re more likely to do them.

 

Easier to commit - If you had to set aside 1 hour a day for the next month how long would you last? What about 10 minutes? Small manageable chunks are far easier to commit to. This reduces stress. Schedule your 10 minute window as part of a morning or evening routine and it becomes something that happens out of habit.

 

Rewards come sooner - Humans enjoy rewards. What is something you enjoy each day? Maybe it’s a coffee. Could be downtime with the family. Whatever it is, make it even more enjoyable by using it to celebrate completing your daily commitment to yourself.

Conclusion

If you’re tired of trying to complete tasks in the same way over and over again, try changing your process. Start small. Build a plan. Commit to yourself. Soon enough those small wins will add up. Don’t forget the rewards along the way. Every dream you have, no matter how crazy it may seem, is possible.

 

The world is waiting. You have to take the first step.

 

If your ready to change your life, the Paper Project Journal is the sidekick you need. It’s designed to help you plan and execute on your dreams. With a daily time tracker for you to allocate your small steps. A weekly overview to keep you on track and a 3 month spread to help you break down your goals. It’s never been easier to stay consistent and track your progress.