Big Results come from small steps

If someone gave you an elephant to eat, (I’m not sure why anyone would be giving you an elephant to eat but for the sake of this cliche, follow along) you would only be able to do that monumental task by taking 1 bite at a time, right?

We all know this. We’ve all heard this cliche forever.

Have you ever thought about why we continue to hear this cliche?

One reason why this cliche has “stood the test of time” is because it’s true. It’s factual and nobody can argue with it. Attempting to eat a whole elephant by doing anything other than taking one bite at a time would be a failed experiment.

The real reason why this cliche continues to be used and re-used is much deeper than that, though. We, as people, tend to constantly find ourselves in situations where we try to eat the entire elephant at one time.

Even though we’ve all heard this phrase multiple times, we still find ourselves, here, trying to eat the whole elephant.

WHat is the point?

The point is, don't overlook the small steps. They seem small and they seem insignificant. They may even seem like they’re a waste of time because they’re so small, but when you stay with it and add them up, that’s when big things happen. Regardless of how large the task ahead is, it can be broken down into small, simple steps.

Think about the biggest snowstorm you can remember. It started with a single snow flake. Another flake fell, then another and soon enough, there was a whole foot of snow on the ground. I think you see where I’m going with this.

You have a big project due? You’re behind on that report? Your To-Do list is longer than a giraffe’s neck? Great, break it down into smaller bites and get to chewing. Before you know it, you’ll look up and you’ll have eaten the entire elephant.

P.S.

We talked about the importance of small victories and why we should celebrate them in an episode of Faith and Frames (our podcast). You can check it out here Faith and Frames Podcast.