Don't Stop

Momentum is a powerful force. Once you start moving toward a goal, you are much more likely to continue doing what you need to do to achieve it than you are if you just think about the goal. The mere act of taking the first step creates an energy and intention which transcend the goal itself.

Sometimes it feels like goals take a long time to accomplish – especially big goals like getting a college degree or becoming a doctor or starting a successful business. Day after day, you work and sacrifice and it feels like you aren’t getting any closer to the end of the struggle. There are always more classes to take, more papers to write, more exams to study for, more work to be done. Challenges and obstacles get in your way and it can be hard to find the motivation to continue. Sometimes quitting seems like the best choice – it’s certainly a lot faster and easier than achieving the goal will be.

Unfortunately, quitting doesn’t get you any closer to your objective. The only way to succeed is to continue to put one foot in front of the other, to check one task off of the list at a time, to earn one credit and then another. Maybe you need to take baby steps for a while and progress is slow; be gentle with yourself but keep moving. As the old parable of the Tortoise and the Hare teaches us, bursts of speed and productivity are impressive, but only perseverance will win the race.