When you start a challenge or are working toward a big goal, it can be quite daunting. At the foot of the mountain, you can barely see the peak. But you don’t have to do things all at once.

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Action often comes before motivation, not the other way around. A tiny action helps us bust out of procrastination and “feeling stuck.” Most of the time, getting started is the hardest part. If we can push through the first few minutes of resistance, we are rolling.  

Small actions create momentum. If you commit to reading one page, you might end up reading a chapter. If you walk for five minutes, you might just decide to keep walking for 30 minutes or more.

Action is empowering. The more we act, the better we feel and the more we feel ready, willing, and able to do more action. Action is satisfying.

We can’t think or hope or strategize ourselves into change. The plan and vision are important, but they are not enough. Eventually, we must do something.

If you are stuck or feeling unmotivated, just commit to taking a 5-minute action that moves you toward one of your goals.