The Importance of Small Steps
- Jenifer Nixon
- Feb 6, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 24, 2023
Have you ever struggled with beginning a new or difficult task? In spite of having deadlines or exam timetables we end up procrastinating and then regret at the last minute-that “I wish I had started earlier”.
When we are planning on how to complete a new/ difficult task, often we end up making unrealistic targets for ourselves. And when we are not able to meet them, it again pushes us to not try and procrastinate. As you can see in this picture, there are 2 ladders- both of them have the same destination- just the journey looks different. Imagine these 2 ladders as 2 approaches to go about tackling a new or difficult task.

So when we are setting these unrealistic targets for ourselves, our journey looks a lot like the right ladder- where the first step itself seems so high that we are unable to reach it. For example- for 5 days you set a target of 10 chapters a day- each day has these unachievable targets. Even though it may have less steps to climb- only 5 days of struggle, but climbing each step of this ladder is going to be exhausting, tiring and demotivating. And we end up struggling with even taking the first step and feel stuck.
In the second approach, our journey is going to look like the left ladder- multiple small steps! Especially the first step should be small, achievable and realistic so that you’re 100% sure that you can complete it. Once you do that, you get little motivation to continue. There’s a possibility that when you do these small steps- you might think there’s no significance of doing it- “It is not going to make any difference- so why even do it”. For example- the target of working out 25-30 minutes per day. And if this sounds too much, making it smaller- 20 minutes of walking or some kind of movement. These small steps can be gradually increased once you get into the momentum. For example: maintaining the 30 minutes workout for a considerable time period, and then increasing it to 40 minutes and so on. It’s also important to keep in mind that these small steps are subjective in nature- for someone their small step can look like- only 10 squats a day and for someone else their small step can look like - walking 5 kms per day.


Even though a small step may seem insignificant, cumulatively- it will be making a difference. On the left ladder, after taking consistent small steps, when you reach higher and look back- you would realize how far you have come. And since each step is small, achievable, and realistic, it helps us move forward. Make sure that you set a specific target- instead of stating “I want to read more”, frame it as “I will read 1 book per month”. These goals should be time-bound, so that it acts as a deadline and increases your chance to take action. It is important that your goals are measurable so that you know where you are standing, how far you have come and how far you need to go. For example, reviewing your work every week.


Disclaimer: This blog post is meant for awareness/entertainment purposes only. It is not medical advice and one must refrain from self-diagnosing. It is in no way a substitute for therapy with a mental health professional and it is not meant to be clinical. To consult with a psychotherapist on our team, you can contact us on fettle.counselling@gmail.com.
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