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Do you run up the stairs or do you take them one step at a time? Have you ever watched someone who has a bad knee climb the stairs? They don’t run up them like everyone else. They take one step with the good leg and then bring up the bad to that step before continuing up to the next step. This process is slow and deliberate. They do not wish to hurt their leg because avoiding the pain becomes the most important thing.
Are you like that in your life? Do you try to avoid pain and will do things cautiously? How about fears? We all have things that can cause us pain or fears that crush us. How do you climb the stairs? Is it slow and deliberate or do you try to get it over with and run up them fast?
I climb them one step at a time. If I focus on the entire staircase in front of me I can become astounded and frustrated at what is ahead. Instead of centering on the entire staircase all you need to focus on is the next step. Yes, that’s it. Taking one step at a time is the best way to conquer anything. If you have a staircase that’s one flight or eighty you focus on each step and before you know it you will have reached the top. When you are trying to reach a goal it’s the same thought process. Focus on the next step.
Staring at the overall big picture can be mind-boggling to the point that you won’t even attempt it just because of the huge task before you. It’s easier to focus only on the next step.
Goals can be paralyzing so the best course of action is to figure out how to break that goal down into smaller doable steps. When you want to write a book you focus on each chapter and writing your word count each day. When you want to lose weight you take your pounds you want to lose and break that down into smaller goals. Taking the time to figure out your steps to accomplish any goal is creating a plan for success. Then focus only on the next step. You don’t worry about the next one until you have completed the first one. That is how you take the stairs one step at a time.
What goals do you have in your life that you would like to achieve but they just seem out of reach to even begin? Let’s break down one most people can relate to, losing weight. Let’s say you have 60 pounds to lose and you would like to do it before your anniversary or family reunion or even a school reunion. Figure out the date and work your way backwards.
With that date in mind you figure out how many months you have between now and then, let’s use for this example eight months. 60 pounds divided by 8 months = 7.5 pounds a month to lose. When you take the time to calculate out what you need to work for each month then take that number and divide that by four weeks in a month. When you calculate 7.5 pounds divided by 4 you get 1.875, which is almost 2 pounds a week that you would have to lose to meet your goal.
Now that you know how many pounds you have to lose to attain your goal, don’t forget the next step, which is figuring out the plan to get you there. Are you going to add in some exercise? If so, how many days a week and what time of day? How much cardio? How much strength training? You need both to properly give your body what it needs to accomplish this goal. What about change in your food plan? Are you going to cut out certain foods, maybe wheat, or sugars? Are you going to add in vegetables or salads to lunch and dinner meals? Are you going to try to eat more fiber each day? Cut down on the soda? Figure out your plan and get it written out.
Now that you have everything worked out for you to meet that goal of losing two pounds a week then focus on each day. Each day is one step on the stairs. You focus only on that day, the steps you have to do whether it’s exercise, eating certain foods or being a little more active overall by parking further away. It’s all part of your plan to reach your goal. It’s the baby step as they say or the first step on the stairs. When you take any goal and break it down in this manner it becomes more attainable in your thoughts and not so staggering.
I challenge you today to figure out your goal, create your plan, take that first step and learn to focus on one step at a time each day and before you realize it, you will have reached your goal by doing those simple steps daily.
I sometimes hear what if I don’t reach my goal of losing 60 pounds. My comment to that is if you did all you could do each day towards your goal, not give it half effort but all your effort, and you only lost 40 pounds then you are still successful because you still did each step you had planned each day and worked for something all on your own. You deserve the praise for losing those 40 pounds. You still want to lose that last 20? Reset the goal date, plan out your steps for each month, each week and each day and you will get there.
I also hear what if I blew it for a week and lost nothing? Then start over the next week and hold yourself accountable to stick to your goals. You are important and you deserve to have the goals in your life you wish to attain. Yes, it’s going to be work but everything in life is work. This will be worth it when you get their just keep taking one step at a time on those stairs.
Please share this with others, leave a comment below letting me know what goals you have achieved, or trying to achieve even now. Are you focusing on each step or just the overall big picture? How is that helping you with attaining your goals? Look forward to hearing your thoughts and suggestions.
Have a blessed day!