Small Tasks

When look at personal development, people tend to focus upon the major things in life.  However, few really take the time to realize that often the most effective event in altering one's life is rather small in nature.  Many people can comprehend this but they miss a basic component necessary to achieve a higher level.

Consistency

Success in life comes from being successful.  I will use sports because it will provide a visual analogy that is easy to see.  In baseball, the highest paid players (everyday) are those who hit the best.  While some are what are termed "streaky" hitters, most teams prefer a player who will hit consistently throughout the season.  The ones who go through prolonged hot stretches only to be followed up by long cold spells create a scenario where one cannot be counted upon.  However, the player who regularly goes out and gets 3 hits in 10 at bats will be paid a very high salary.  The consistency when mapped over the course of a season nets a team tremendous production.

Life is the same way.  Too many people try to get results by doing something once (or once in a while).  We see this every New Year when people make the resolution to get into shape.  What happens?  They go to the gym everyday for a week or two then stop.  The desire is quickly removed.  Instead of being consistent with it, they expect a one-shot result.  It does not happen.

Success is the result of following a program on a daily basis that leads to the desired outcome.  Few people ever follow a plan.  Instead, they determine and outcome while just "winging it".  Action will naturally tend to be spotty.  This is where a plan of action offsets the natural tendencies to slack off.

Consistent action that is moving us towards a particular goal will ultimately net that result.  No matter what the desired outcome, as long as the action is consistently undertaken, success will result.

Time

Time is the element that few seem to have a grasp of.  As I just stated, action repeated which moves one towards a desired end will get that person there.  However, the factor that is central to this idea is that of time.  No matter what the action it will get one where he or she wants to go.  However, it might not be the most effective or quickest way to that outcome.

Using the idea of weight loss, simply stopping to drink sugary sodas could have a major impact on one's effort to drop weight.  This single action, if one is a regular drinker of these beverages, will help one to shed pounds over time.  The amount of time required will depend upon a number of factors including how many sodas a day are drank.  Nevertheless, this single, small task, will ultimately move a person towards weight loss.

Moving to the next stage, what if a person wants to lose weight a bit quicker?  Obviously, this is where compounding activities can have a massive impact upon the time something takes.  For example, in addition to giving up high calorie sugary drinks, perhaps this individual begins to walk for 20 minutes each day.  This added exercise will burn calories thus compounding the eliminated calories as a result of the drinks being removed. 

Manipulating time is something that everyone can do.  Time moves in linear fashion but we can increase our results by consistently compounding our actions.  The aforementioned idea works in any situation, not only weight loss.

Small Tasks

Life is nothing more than a series of small tasks.  Few people seem to realize this.  The personal development field is renowned for telling people to focus upon the larger activities first; this is where your greatest impact is.  But is it?  What is a big task really?  When you ponder it for a while, most big actions are nothing more than a series of minor tasks strung together for a large outcome.

This is an area where the personal development field puts itself at odds...with itself.  While it tells people to handle the larger activities, it also tells them to break those tasks down into smaller size "bites".  My feeling is why don't we just focus upon the smaller size tasks to begin with and eliminate one step in the process.

Again, going back to weight loss, if one is overweight there is a simple reason: that person takes in too many calories while burning too few.  That is the only reason why one puts on weight.  This is true for people who do not eat a lot (ie few calories).  Many think that not eating is the way to lose weight when, in fact, the opposite results.  Metabolism will slow down when the body is starved.  Hence we have the situation where, even with reduce caloric intake, this individual still takes in more than is burnt.   Therefore, adding in a small, daily task like walking increases the likelihood of weight loss.  As long as it is done daily (or a few times a week), success will be achieved.

Today, begin to focus upon those smaller activities that will have a net effect down the road.  Remember that all success is achieved through a series of smaller steps all designed to move you in one direction.  Shift your mindset from the "big rock" idea and concentrate on the smaller tasks.  This is how habits are formed.  And this is where one achieves success while on autopilot.  If one does not have to think about working out but, instead, does it out of habit, what do you think the chances are of physical fitness?  Most will agree this person stands a terrific chance.

Implement this idea into your life beginning today and see where it takes you.  Within a week, you will notice a difference.





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