The Ripple Effect: Small Steps Lead to Big Results
Copyright 2005 Kathy Paauw
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act,
but a habit." -Aristotle
Procrastination is the single habit at the root of so many
problems that plague all of us at one time or another -
challenges with managing our time, relationships, projects, and
information.
Procrastination is doing low-priority tasks and activities
instead of the high-priority ones which so often contribute the
most to our success. For some, procrastination becomes a harmful
habit which impedes personal and professional development.
If procrastination is so harmful, why do we do it? We tend to
put off doing things for the following reasons:
**They are unpleasant to do. **They are difficult or complex to
do. **They involve making tough decisions that can be
overwhelming.
When we don't want to do something that is unpleasant or
difficult, we find less important things to do that will keep us
"busy" so we have an excuse for why we didn't get around to it.
But putting something off does not make it go away, and
postponing it often just makes it worse. As someone once said,
"Killing time murders opportunities."
I'll share a key to success that I've learned from my own life
experiences...
If you want to make big changes in your life, start by making
small ones.
What small change have you made recently that yielded positive
results for you? By thinking about what is working, you are
focusing on the positive. Remember that we attract whatever we
choose to give our attention to -- whether wanted or unwanted.
When we focus on what we want, we are more likely to attract it
into our lives.
Unlike a long list of unrealistic New Year's resolutions that
usually get broken before the end of January, small changes can
create a ripple effect of another small change, followed by
another. In other words, small changes can lead to other related
changes. Next thing you know, you've generated an unstoppable
tidal wave!
Ask yourself this question: What's one thing that, if you did
consistently, would make the greatest positive difference in
your life?
I asked a client (I'll call her Kate) this question a couple of
years ago during a coaching call. Her initial response was that
she wanted to start taking the train to work instead of driving
her car in horrible rush-hour traffic. But Kate said she could
not do that because she often needed the car to get to meetings
during her workday. I asked her if there were other means of
transportation available to her (subway, taxi, etc.) on days she
had appointments that were not walking distance from her office.
Kate was not sure how it would work, but she was willing to
commit to a one-month trial period. I spoke with her at the end
of her first week. She recognized how this one change was
already having a tremendous positive impact on her life. Over
time, the impact grew larger. The ripple effect was doing its
thing!
Here are some of the benefits Kate has experienced:
* Kate is able to sleep 30 minutes later each workday, since she
actually gets to work quicker by taking the train. * Kate has
saved enough money in gas and parking fees to pay for her
coaching sessions with me. * Kate has time for her professional
reading, which she does in the mornings on her way to work. *
Kate has time for pleasure reading on the way home. (She had not
read a novel in years!) * Because she has to catch the train
home at a specific time, Kate leaves the office at a set time
instead of staying for "just a few more minutes" (which was
never just a few minutes!) to get caught up. * Kate is
conducting more business using technology (teleconference calls
and webinars), which saves her a lot of time that she used to
spend getting to and from meetings. Others appreciate this time
savings, too! * By leaving the driving to someone else, Kate's
stress level is much lower when she gets home. * Kate's reduced
stress levels gives her added energy, and she now works out at a
nearby health club a few times a week. (Before, she barely had
the energy to crawl in the door of her home. Once she got there,
she rarely ventured out at night.) * Kate met a wonderful man at
her train stop near her home, and they started dating last year.
(They're still dating, and the future looks promising!)
I could keep listing the effects this one change has had on
Kate's life. It's a perfect example of the ripple effect in
action -- all of this by making one change, which led to
another, and another.
For more articles about overcoming procrastination, visit these
newsletter articles at http://www.orgcoach.net/newsletter.html
* Fear Not! - The Perfectionist's Credo * March 4th . Time to
March Forth * To do or not to do.that is the question. * The
Time Has Come.Just DO IT! * First Things First * Get Productive!