The Power of Daily Actions
Principle 1: Take Action Every Day
“You can’t eat an elephant in one bite” is a great metaphor and visual representation of how to approach the goals in your life. Just like an elephant can not be eaten all at once, your goals will not be re
alized all at once. It takes patience. Success is a process, a journey that takes persistence and commitment. Too often we give up too soon on our goals and say “I can’t do X (x = the goal). For example, we say “I can’t find true love,” or “I can’t lose weight,” or “I will never be successful at work.” These are all self-limiting and self-defeating statements.
Instead, consider a more positive approach to the status of your goals. For example: “I am still looking for my true love,” or “I have not learned how to begin losing weight,” or finally “I’m learning to be more successful with my career.” These reactions convey the sense that, although the goal has not been accomplished, it is in progress.
To begin the process of achieving a particular goal, you must first learn to break the goal down into “bite size” and very manageable pieces that are measurable in daily units. Let’s take the weight-loss goal. Instead of focusing on the fact you are 15 lbs overweight and want to loose all the extra weight right now, consider what you can do today, and then the next day, to begin moving forward to accomplishing the ultimate goal.
For example, your daily goals, or actions, may include taking a 30 minute walk or avoiding fast food. Both of these are indeed measurable – did you walk the 30 minutes or not? Consider this formula:
Daily Actions = Achievement
More specifically, in this example the formula would look like this:
Daily Actions (walking 30 minutes & avoid fast food) = Achievement (beginning to lose the 15 lbs.)
However, you must show daily commitment to this plan. If you want to get different results you must approach each day in a different way. One day leads to the next; days lead to weeks and before you know it, the goal is accomplished. Daily actions work – if you are willing to take that first step and begin eating the elephant, one bite at a time.
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