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When my husband and I visited Indiana Dunes State Park we encountered a lot of steps like these during our daily hikes. They are made to protect the Sand Dunes.
I couldn’t help but think as I climbed them, this is how big goals are reached; one step at a time, sometimes it is small step after small step and sometimes we get to enjoy moments where our progress seems amazing.
The strides builds our excitement about the ultimate goal giving us energy for the small steps ahead. They also give us time to ponder the large goal. Will it really be all that we expected?Will we have that feeling of triumph? Will the mountain top inspire us to set yet another goal and keep trudging on?
On this night the mountain top held a spectacular view.One that had to be savored. One that had to be breathed in deeply. It filled us with the awe of God’s creation. It inspired us to take more hikes, to explore further, and that is just what meeting a goal should do too.
When you make your goals too obtainable they don’t refill the inspiration tanks. When you make you goals too unobtainable they overwhelm and discourage. The key is to breakdown your big goal into a journey that contains refreshment stops where you can regain your strength and realize how far you have already come.
For instance, perhaps you have a goal to run a marathon like I once did, but right now you can’t even walk a mile let alone run 26.2. Your goal first should be to walk a mile. Then to walk for a full hour. Followed by running a full mile. Followed by running 2 full miles……..and so on until you complete your first 5K, your first 10K your first 1/2 marathon and then finally the mountain top; the 26.2 race.
Each mini goal is a stride, a time to pause and catch your breathe and celebrate how far you have come, followed by small steps until the next stride, and so on, until you reach your mountain top. When you get there, don’t rush, take a moment to truly take it all in. To be in awe of your accomplishment. To let it fill your tanks with inspiration for your next goal.
What are you striving for right now? Are the small steps wearing you down? Hang on a stride is ahead and the mountain top is not that far away. When you reach it, look back for just a brief second, and take joy in your accomplishment. You did it. You snail paced your way to the top. Congratulations I knew you could.
Got a big goal you want to break make time for but not sure how? 21 Days To A More Disciplined Life can help. Great ebook that teaches you how to take your big goal and break it down into snail paced pieces and then explains how to make room in your life to accomplish it.
Got a big goal you want to break make time for but not sure how? 
Become A Snail Pacer
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My goal right now is to finish the first draft of my YA novel. I’m trying to write a little bit, at least one page, every day. Sometimes when I feel overwhelmed, I remind myself just to write one word at a time and just focus on writing my daily page. Thanks for the inspiration to snail-pace goal-setting!
It sounds like you have snail pacing down pat! 🙂
Thanks for the great reminder to make a smaller goal so that I won’t feel overwhelmed. Right now my eating feels out of control! I must just start making wiser choices.
I am your neighbor at Darlene’s place for Titus 2(sday).
The photos are lovely.
I grew up in Indiana and never once visited the Dunes State Park. I was a young girl with my mind set on moving to the West. I reached my goal but I missed all the little joys along the way…Taking goals one day at a time, “at a snails pace” is a good thing. If we get there too fast we miss the joy of the journey. Ty for your post.
Your post reminds me of the old saying: ” A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single footstep.” Or, a less poetic but humorous, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” As I ponder the faith life journey, I know I’m going to be glad I kept nibbling the elephant 🙂
Thanks so much for this great post! It feels like I have so many goals right now and I think that is part of the problem. I’m definitely going back through your archives and reading your Weekly Goal Setting posts. I’m a newbie blogger trying to learn how to build a readership while balancing everything else at home. Thanks for this awesome blog! I’d welcome any feedback on mine! 🙂