Imagine two ladders. They both end the same way. They both start the same way. One ladder rungs are close together; a small distance separating them. The other has far less steps, as the spacing is farther apart. There are two people, each wanting to reach the top. Person A chooses to go on the second ladder, the one that is spaced widely. There are about half as many steps, surely that is the easier way! Person B decided to go for the smaller steps. Guess who gets to the top first?
No, this is not a riddle, it is simply an illustration for a metaphor. Person B climbs up, albeit slowly, while Person A is still on the ground, trying to reach for the next rung that is just out of his reach. He has set his steps too high, so now he can’t climb. This image illustrates the importance of small steps.
In life we have a choice. We can tell ourselves over and over that we will do better. We can set colossal goals, but in reality, we will never get there. Big goals start with small steps.
Achieve a goal by starting with small habits. Instead of telling yourself you will be the best A+ student, give yourself small practical steps to get there. You could start getting up early, make the daily choice to pursue excellence, or get rid of common distractions.
Don’t expect yourself to magically get better overnight. Pursue small achievable goals. Celebrate the small things and work towards the big things. Instead of looking back at what you did wrong and what you need to do better, look at what you are doing right, and how you have changed.
You can do this!
