You need to have faith in those small steps

Small Steps

You know the cliché about small steps. Everything starts small. Many start small but give up too early. You have to be prepared to grind, day after day, week in week out. The people that succeed take a risk, but most importantly they have patience and perseverance. Faith.

Disclaimer - Please forgive all the clichés - everyone loves a few clichés though, don't they?

You need to start with the small stones, and build every day. Progress may be slow. Life is not linear. Sometimes we have to take two steps back in order to progress. There will be obstacles along the way. Life will get in the way. Invariably it does. There is no miracle.

Courage

So you've plucked up the courage, you've taken the first step, the decision to make a change, and pursue a dream. That's great. Now comes the hard part.

Create a plan; develop a routine

To rise up above the average, one needs to put in the work. It's a very simple concept, but surprisingly difficult to implement. Consistency is key. The journey is more important than the destination - work hard on the journey and the destination takes care of itself. As a farmer, my dad worked hard every single day. He had no option, it was hard graft in all types of weather. He inspires me to this day. No matter your age, the dream can be pursued - you need to keep busy, to have a goal and objective in life.

Patience

In the first year, treat your new enterprise like a start-up. There will be no overnight success. No miracle. You need to create a chain of work, and strive to add another link to that chain every single day. You don't want to break the chain. Successful YouTuber Chris Barnatt of Explaining Computers said that he has posted a video every single Sunday since December 2015, nearly 10 years of consistent effort. His channel now has over one million subscribers. There is no miracle, just a chain of work. Each link builds on the last. Results won't come straight away. There will be obstacles and challenges.

Persevere

There will be days when morale is low, or fatigue draws you down. This is where you need to fight. Put the blinkers on, feel the fear and do it anyway. Daily work needs to become routine to the point where it becomes automatic, like rising at the same hour every morning. There may be unavoidable life events that get in the way and impede your progress. The important thing is focus and steady work. Celebrate your successes, however small.

Imposter syndrome

Imposter syndrome derives from the human impulse of fear. Fear of mistakes, fear of not being good enough. Even if you're just starting out, you need to tell yourself that you are good enough, you can do it. Don't listen to the doubts, or the doubters. For example if you want to be a writer, you need to read and write every single day. Declare yourself a writer from day one. If your ambition is to be a coder - ditto - you need to be consistently reading and writing code.

Start today

If you've harboured an unrealised dream for a while - why waste any more time? Act on it today - get started. Put the doubts and excuses to one side and just do it. I have lived three decades as an adult. I realise that time is precious. Life is uncertain. I pray for another three decades of good health, enough time to fulfill my potential. Everyone can reach for the stars, you just have to start. There can be moments of doubt. Moments of uncertainty. We are all human. Sometimes it's tempting to relax in front of the TV, to scroll mindlessly on your phone. The time pits are everywhere. The apathy is real. Fight the fear and get to work.