Yes, Even Baby Steps Matter When Creating Better Habits

A few years ago I wrote about baby steps. I recently found this post again, and the message still rings true for me today, maybe even more. So I've refreshed it and brought it home.

The bigger a task seems, the less likely we are to do it. Why? It just feels like too much effort.

My experience is that if you really want to form better habits, you need to start small. Really small. Baby steps.

In a lot of ways, we are our habits. Research suggests that close to half of what we do each day is habit. The smaller a new habit is, the easier it is to make it stick. Change can be tough, but it doesn't have to be hard.

If you're anything like me, there's plenty you've thought about doing over the years: changing careers, learning an instrument, running a marathon. Is there something you've always wanted to do but had trouble starting?

For me, the challenge has always been the first step.

Take running a marathon. If you've never been a runner, that goal can feel overwhelming. So where do you start? You commit to one baby step every day. Your first step might be five minutes on the treadmill. Once that becomes a habit, go to ten. Then fifteen. One step at a time.

Getting Ready for Your First Step

Everything meaningful starts with noticing where you are right now. Think about your bigger goal, then take a moment to notice:

- How you hold yourself

- What, how, and when you eat

- Your thoughts and emotions right now

- How you spend your time today

- Where you feel tension in your body

Now picture daily life once you reach that goal. What time do you get up? What do you eat for breakfast? Who is around you? How do you spend your days? How do you respond to the people in your life?

This is mindfulness: focusing on the now so you're ready to move forward.

Taking Your First Baby Step

Now think of one small step you could take right now. A few ideas:

- Sign up for a workout class

- Take a walk on your lunch break

- Clear the junk food out of your pantry

- Sign up for a language class

- Pause and breathe before responding in a heated moment

- Look up something you've always wanted to learn

- Forgive yourself, and others

- Read the first chapter of that book you've been meaning to start

You Don't Have to Do It Alone

Just like a toddler needs a hand for those first few steps, we all need a little help now and then. Write down a few baby steps you can take later today, tomorrow, and over the next few days. Notice how you feel with each one, and notice how your life starts changing for the better.

And just like a toddler, you might fall. That's okay. Get up and keep going, one step at a time.

I've been there. The toughest and most important step is deciding to take the very first one.

Don't feel defeated if you drift from your goal. Sometimes a detour leads to something even better. Plans change. Stay flexible and open to new adventures.

Every waterfall starts with a single drop. Every better habit starts with a single step. Now go take yours.

"I have learned that champions aren't just born; champions can be made when they embrace and commit to life-changing positive habits." Lewis Howes

Enjoyed this? Follow my journey on Substack at Journey Continues, and join me on X at @Mark_Salinas.