Today I’d love to talk about the power of taking the first step. You might have heard the saying: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” often attributed to the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu.

Yesterday, I read a children’s book our daughters have recently received as a gift, called “Momo.” It talks about a street sweeper who explains that when cleaning streets, it can feel overwhelming when looking at all the streets that need to be cleaned. But if you go one step at a time, focusing on each brush stroke and breathing in between, you advance little by little without feeling overwhelmed.

Research has shown that for many people, the very first step towards achieving something is often the most difficult one. Especially for things that feel challenging, like a project at work, an administrative task, a new routine you want to install, or a new healthy habit or mental exercise. It is often not the task itself that poses difficulties, but the problem lies in starting as it just feels too overwhelming or hard.

It has also been shown that if we manage to take micro-steps, like a few seconds or minutes to work on something, it makes all the difference. What is important is to just activate your brain to take a micro-step and then celebrate that you took that micro-step. 🎉🎉

For example, if you have to work on an email you are dreading to write, the first step would just be to take a couple of minutes to write down the main key points for that email and celebrate that you took that step. You can stop afterwards and go back to something different, but firstly, this first step will help you keep going easier as the first step has been made. And secondly, you train your brain that you are capable of directing it to take these little steps.

Little by little, your brain will notice that it is not so hard to take that first little step and get used to making these steps, which, in the long run, will be your little steps towards a thousand-mile journey.

James Clear, who wrote the amazing book “Atomic Habits,” also has good advice when it comes to taking first little steps. At some point in his book, he writes that one little action defines if he will go to the sports session with his wife or not. And that is if he decided to put on his sports clothes after finishing his workday. Having his sports clothes on will make it much more likely for him to really hit the gym or do the workout he planned to do. And even if he decides not to go or do it in the end, he has taken that first step which naturally makes him more likely to do it next time.

I remember that anecdote from his book very clearly and have often made use of it myself. This past Monday, I was feeling a bit tired after a very nice but intense weekend. Usually, I have my weekly dance/sports class on Monday evenings and I caught myself thinking if I should skip it to rest. So, before bringing a dear friend of mine to the airport that evening, I put on my sports clothes to set the tone to my brain that it would not take much effort to attend my sports class after dropping her at the airport. And I honestly think that this little action/step was the deciding factor for me going to the class and being very happy for having done so in the end.

🌱 So, what is something that you have been procrastinating about or a habit/routine that you would like to install in your life? And how could the first micro-step to achieving this look like? I encourage you this week to think about a couple of things that you would like to make progress on, to define the first micro-step and then take it, even if just for 30 seconds or a couple of minutes. And to keep repeating taking these micro-steps and then celebrate yourself for having done them. 🙌  Before you know it, your brain will have noticed that it is not all that difficult to start and you will build momentum on projects and habits you have been wanting to complete or integrate into your life. 🌱

Sending much love your way 💕