The first step…

The distance doesn’t matter; only the first step is difficult. Madame Marquise du Deffand

Even as I write this post I am acutely aware of how relevant the above quote is, for when I started this blog on 1^st Jan 2010 I had plenty of misgivings about my ability to sustain writing regularly. Yet today while writing my 173^rd post at the rate of one post a day, I feel a sense of exhilaration, that I began despite my misgivings and that I have a decent readership and realized my own potential. The toughest part of a long journey is the first step for despite our best preparation we are assailed by self doubt and always left wondering if we are really well prepared to begin. Fear of failing is perhaps the biggest single reason for us not even attempting a task let alone beginning a challenging task.

There is always the unknown factor that will be spoilt sport to the best laid plans, but that should never be a deterrent to us aiming high and realizing our dreams. The trick to beginning lies in us being clear about our goals and our ability to break down the goal bound process into smaller manageable intermediary goals. A good example is how a marathon runner plans out his / her strategy. Unless one has a world class timing winning the marathon may not be the real goal but finishing the marathon will be the primary goal. Thereafter the entire marathon is divided into distances to be reached within the preplanned time frames. Depending on the ability and style of the runner the strategy is planned for each stage of the race and a suitable training schedule, diet plan and fitness schedule is designed. The toughest part is to motivate oneself to run daily without missing the training schedule.  The goal  of completing the  marathon is a great motivator and the prior planning provides the right dose of impetus as well as focus for each day’s practice schedule.

Many of us have grandiose ideas and noble intentions which rarely see the light of day. Part of the reason is that we never commit our ides and visions by writing it down. Even if one were to write it down what really sounds the death knell of all good intentions is lack of self discipline. Look at our school days when we all had to follow a time table. Our parents ensured that we left for school on time and out teachers managed the classes and disciplined us well. We did have a similar time table when in college but with little or no supervision we took liberties with the classes and perhaps did not fully realize our potential. To be self disciplined we must be passionate about our goal for then we can visualize us nearing it every day provided we stick to the regime scheduled. It also helps to find innovative self motivational techniques and reward one’s self on attaining the intermediary goals. Eg. For every 2 hours of study plan a break of half an hour of TV viewing or listening to music.

Finally it is important to realize that it is never too late to start. Neither your age nor your background matters if you are passionate about what you really want to achieve. Every great novel began with someone typing out the first word; the greatest chefs must have definitely begun by tasting their own inedible preparations and there must not be a doctor who began life without toying around with a corpse. Different shades of life but one which has a loud message for each of us: START NOW !

Remember: “The secret to a rich life is to have more beginnings than endings.”  David Weinbaum

Try this:

1. Make a START by clicking the following link http://poweract.blogspot.com/2010/02/start.html
2. Jot down some of your passions that you haven’t even attempted or indulged in. Now choose two of them and work out an action plan to ensure that you get going with attempting it before the year is out.

This post is courtesy www.actspot.com

You are also invited to visit our weekly Inspirational and Motivational Blog www.poweract.blogspot.com