I just got done reading an excellent book by John Maxwell called, "The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth". He has so many great takeaways as to how to improve in many areas of your life, but one quote that stuck out to me was this.
"If you want to grow, don't try to win big. Try to win small." (page 74)
How backwards this is from our typical thinking in today's society! We are told to go after the big goal, using big aspirations, alongside big resources. Rarely are we told to go small and tackle the tiny.
But if you think about it, this is one of the best plans of attack there is! The truth is, unless we win in the small, daily habits and choices in our lives, we will never be able to consistently win in the big areas.
Sure, we may have some success with aiming high, but generally, those large goals don't last. Why is that? Because we aren't working on daily behaviors that are the crux of what we do day in and day out.
Maxwell states later,
"The secret to success is found in your daily routine." (page 116)
I'm sure you expect me to talk about the physical health changes that you should be focusing on for 2013 since I am a fitness blogger....and yes--that area is near and dear to my heart. But I also want us to grow in many other areas of life. areas such as our marriage, our parenting, our finances, and most importantly, our spiritual lives!
And let's not forget that we have been instructed by Someone much wiser than us to live in the day....
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34
So how can we win small in 2013? Grab a journal, 30 minutes of quiet and review these next 5 things.
1.) Write down your overall "small win(s)" you are striving for in 2013.
2.) Brainstorm multiple DAILY ways that will help you reach those goals.
3.) Identify the DAILY things that will serve as a block for you.
4.) Choose 1 or 2 DAILY things you will commit to for the next month. (A month gives you enough time to measure if it's an appropriate change or not) Set a date in your calendar 30 days out to review your small win and repeat steps as needed!
5.) Pray about these changes! Yes---God cares about what you eat, how you move, what you spend your money on, and the words you use! He is involved in every area of our lives whether we invite Him in or not. Aren't we better served if we ask Him to guide our daily choices?
Maybe it starts with having breakfast every morning, tracking your fast food receipts, praying every morning to watch your words with your spouse, or giving your child 3 hugs a day. It will look different for each of us and will change depending on our focus and season of life. So are you in? Are you ready to win small in 2013? If yes, please share below the areas that you want to improve and some small (daily) ways that you plan on doing that!
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