Sometimes the smallest steps take us the furthest
When we look at those who’ve inspired us with big dreams and towering accomplishments, it seems only right that we speak about them in the grandest terms we know. We describe traits like “perseverance,” “tenacity” and “inner fire” and use adjectives like “best,” “bravest,” and “super human.”
Rarely among these sweeping accolades do we stop and consider the mindset it takes to wake up each day ready to tackle the seemingly endless number of things standing between us and our dreams. It’s one thing to be the biggest, best or most-driven, but what does any of that mean on a daily basis? How do we learn to mentally prepare ourselves for the days when we don’t know where to start, feel like we haven’t gotten anywhere or simply don’t want to get out of bed?
Cynthia Hunter knows these feelings. She also knows how to beat them.
Cynthia is a woman with dreams, and many of them—56 on Everest to be exact. Her goals range from visiting National Parks and meditating twice a week, to her ultimate dream of launching her own fitness studio. Cynthia’s biggest lesson isn’t her sheer number of dreams or their level of ambition—though these are pretty impressive—but the way she reaches for what matters most each day.
“When you wake up in the morning with dreams tugging at your heart,” says Cynthia, “there’s really no excuse to be lazy.” Cynthia explains that dreaming big also takes the ability to think about her path in small, sometimes mundane, increments. She strategizes and organizes her down time, preferring to take steps towards one of her many goals for an hour instead of wasting time with TV or Facebook.
The path to our dreams isn’t always paved with big statements and inspirational words, and more often than not the first step is just getting off the couch. For Cynthia, like all of us, achieving dreams is not a process of leaping from A to B, but a series of tiny, deliberate movements. As she launches her own fitness studio, Cynthia dreams of building a business which reflects who she is and what she believes. In her way lie a laundry list of steps most of us would never even think of: registering business domain names, learning about commercial leases and deciding on legal structures. Though they may not seem fun or glamorous, the sum of these steps makes each one worth it to Cynthia. This is her path and she’s sticking to it.
Too many important dreams get lost in the annoying difficulties of daily life and the thousands of mundane chores we all take on each week. Inspiring dreams we thought we’d reach in one grand swoop get lost in schedules, kids and jobs. We have our excuses ready. “I could achieve anything if only life weren’t so…complicated.” Life is complex, responsibilities don’t disappear and that’s not going to change. What keeps us moving forward through the maze of daily life and on the path we know we want to follow is the faith that with each step our dreams get just a little closer. Life is tough, but so are we. How manys steps have you taken today?
