630-484-2336 ben@bedo.org

Yes.  I know it’s easy to spot all the things that didn’t happen.

All the stuff that you failed to accomplish, that didn’t happen, that still is on your massive and ever-growing, never-shrinking to do list is blaring, practically drowning out any and everything else.

And I’m not going to sit here and tell you the same old stuff, “just focus on the good” or “be grateful for what you have” and all that silver-lining stuff.

But what I am going to challenge you to do is–just for this moment–set that list aside.  Just slide it off for the moment (don’t worry, you can get back to all your overwhelm and unaccomplishments and deficiencies and not-enoughs whhen we’re done).

Notice what DID happen.  What did get accomplished?  Even if it’s not the full goal, what part of it has actually been completed?  What is, however small, a success?

(Now, i know that you want to instantly evaluate it and judge it against what is supposed to happen.  And I can already promise you, when you do that, this win will be a worthless piece of nothing.   And, as i said, you can do that in just a minute.  But for now, just place a hold on that urge and let the success, however small be there.)

Ok.  Now I promised you that this was not going to be a “gratitude” thing or a “silver-lining” or any other quick fix.

Instead i want you to notice that your big goal is actually comprised of several little goals.

For example, in order to run a marathon, which is 26 miles, the only way–and I mean the ONLY way–I’m going to accomplish that is if I run one mile first.  If I don’t run that first mile, then I’m sure as salamander salami not going to accomplish my second.  In fact, it’s IMPOSSIBLE!

Do you get that?

In order to succeed in the BIG stuff, you’re going to have to succeed in the little stuff to get there.

Now the problem, as I’m sure you see, is when we allow that little win to be enough.  Nosireebob.  That’s not what I’m saying at all.

OF COURSE, keep going.

OF COURSE, there’s more.

But use this little win to inspire you, motivate you and be proof that you can accomplish what you set out to.  It’s just that, typically, little wins require less time and energy to fulfill than big ones.  But a win is a win.

And really, if we look at it, whether it’s a WIN or a win, it’s spelled the same way.