Fellow humans,
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Trust the process — paying less attention to results while focusing on consistency. But we want results and we want them now. We flex in the gym mirror on day one, while we’re clearly amateurs. We make a new investment, and immediately start fantasizing about telling our stories as future millionaires. It’s in our nature.
Progress is different than results. We can notice progress almost immediately. For example, progress could be having more energy in the gym on day two. I think it’s important to appreciate progress along the way. Otherwise we may feel discouraged, and not persevere to see results.
Baby steps are
progress. For example, if we’ve been out of school for a while and want to go back, we can take baby steps. Rather than taking four college courses right away, we can start with one. Or if we want a better diet, we can take baby steps. Rather than completely changing our diet at once, we can eliminate unhealthy foods one at a time. These small steps add up.
Marathons are another example of baby steps. Although a marathon is a race, the winning strategy is not to take big strides. Instead, runners take small strides for 26.2 miles. Four and a half hours is a normal time to complete a marathon. Marathons are proof that incredible things are accomplished with small steps and a lot of time.
“Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.”
My grandfather is the definition of this saying. His career was laying floor for 46 years. People have always observed how slow and steady he worked. This strategy worked for him. He had a successful and sustainable career — he was still laying floor in his 70s.
Baby steps are usually slower than society’s expectations, but they are effective. They are thorough and get the job done. We won’t always see the fruits of our labor. Sometimes all we can do is take another baby step forward, and hope for the best.
Until next time,
Salvatore Norge