First Steps

A bunch of acquaintances have been murmuring about introducing change into their lives. For some it is a vow to beat the bulge and get fit again, while for others it is adding a new hobby or skill, or a transition from student to bona fide employment.

Having done steps like that myself, some successfully and some less so, I find I have spent a lot of time thinking about first steps.



Often, taking the first step is the most important. It must be bold and decisive or there will be no second step. I find that once underway, my new path does not go exactly where I thought, but rather it tends to go where I need it to go. Learning to trust my judgment was important, as was training myself to have good judgment by second-guessing myself to root out self-deception; separating wants from needs. Too, there sometimes comes a time to say "That was a bad decision." and let it go so that I can move on. I maybe have to eat some humble pie or acknowledge that I wasted time or money, and that has become OK. I can accept that I make mistakes. And too, often those mistakes point me in a different, more directionally correct way. As Thomas Edison said about invention, "I didn't fail 1000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1000 steps.”

So be bold. Take that first step with courage and conviction. Begin the thousand-mile journey. Just doing nothing gets you nowhere. All this reminds me of another quote. "Don't be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated; you can't cross a chasm in two small jumps." ~David Lloyd George