“You cannot do great things in this world. You can only do small things with great love”

Mother Teresa

If I dare paraphrase a saint, what I think Mother Teresa was really trying to say was that the great things you will do in this life are always a culmination of many, many small things.  Great leaders have great visions but real success always lies in the everyday little actions and interactions. This goes for setting new year’s resolutions. It is a fact that most resolutions are forgotten by February… or at least given up on. We also know that motivation comes after action, not before. So whatever you do, don’t simply wait to feel motivated, it may never happen… Just Do It!  But wait, you’ve missed a step..do it this way for success..

Step 1: Inspiration: Set a vision you can get really excited and enthusiastic about…imagine it, feel it like it’s already happened, let it sift through your bones, write it out but don’t get fussy about the words. Great athletes know the benefits of visualization.  Step 2: Action: Let that go and commit to one tiny habit you can start and love the journey every step of the way.  Dip your toe in, don’t plunge and then freeze 🙂

For example, most people include health in their new plan in some way. What tiny action can you begin to kickstart the motivation motor?  Set a timer to drink 8oz of water every hour? Take a walk every lunch hour? Take a daily vitamin? It’s like dominoes… one brick at a time and soon you’ll be unstoppably out of control.

Stop right now. Feel that goal you’ve been sitting on… got it? Great… now write down your tiny habit and commit to it. Everyday. Start again, and again, and again. You have to start somewhere.

Here’s to a year of many great starts! May 2016 be a year filled with inspiration, presence and extreme joy for you. This is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.