The Ripple Effect: Small Steps Lead to Big Results

 "We are what we keep doing. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." -Aristotle

Procrastination is the one habit that is the cause of so many problems that plague us all at one time or another - problems with managing our time, relationships, projects and information.

Procrastination means we complete low-priority tasks and activities instead of the high-priority ones that so often contribute most to our success. For some, procrastination becomes a harmful habit that hinders personal and professional growth.

If procrastination is so harmful, why do we do it? We tend to put things off for the following reasons:

**They are unpleasant to do.

**They are difficult or complex to do.

**They require difficult decisions that can overwhelm us.

When we do not want to do something unpleasant or difficult, we look for less important things to "occupy" us so we have an excuse for why we did not get around to doing it. But when we put something off, it does not go away, and when we put it off, it often only gets worse. As someone once said, "If you kill time, you kill opportunities."

I would like to share with you a key to success that I have learned from my own life experiences...

If you want to make big changes in your life, start with small changes.

What small change have you made recently that has produced positive results for you? When you think about what works, focus on the positive. Remember that we attract whatever we give our attention to - whether desired or undesired. When we focus on what we want, we are more likely to attract it into our lives.

Unlike a long list of unrealistic New Year's resolutions that are usually broken before the end of January, small changes can create a ripple effect that leads to more small changes. In other words, small changes can lead to other related changes. The next thing you know, you have set off an unstoppable tidal wave!

Ask yourself this question: what is the one thing that, if done consistently, would make the biggest positive difference in your life?

I asked this question of a client (I'll call her Kate) during a coaching call a few years ago. Her first answer was that she wanted to start taking the train to work instead of speeding through horrible rush hour traffic in her car. But Kate said she could not because she often needed the car to get to meetings during her workday. I asked her if she could use other modes of transportation (subway, cab, etc.) on the days she had appointments that were not within walking distance of her office.

Kate was not sure how that would work, but she was willing to commit to a one-month trial period. I spoke with her at the end of her first week. She realized that this one change was already having a huge positive impact on her life. As time went on, the impact became greater and greater. The ripple effect was working its magic!

Here are some of the benefits Kate has experienced:

* Kate is able to sleep 30 minutes longer each workday because she can get to work faster by train.

* Kate has saved enough money on gas and parking fees to pay for her coaching sessions with me.

* Kate has time for her professional reading, which she does on the way to work in the morning.

* Kate has time for leisure reading on the way home. (She had not read a novel in years!).

* Because she has to catch the train home at a certain time, Kate leaves the office at a certain time instead of staying "just a few more minutes" (which was never just a few minutes!) to catch up.

* Kate increasingly conducts business using technology (conference calls and webinars), which saves her a lot of time she used to spend traveling to and from meetings. Others appreciate this time savings, too!

* By leaving the driving to someone else, Kate's stress level is much lower when she gets home.

* Kate's reduced stress level gives her more energy, and she now works out a few times a week at a nearby gym. (Before, she barely had the strength to crawl through the door of her house. Once she got there, she rarely ventured out at night.)

* Kate met a wonderful man at the train stop near her apartment, and she started dating him last year. (They are still together, and the future looks promising!).

I could go on listing the impact this one change has had on Kate's life. It's a perfect example of the Ripple Effect in action - all of this through one change that led to another, and another.

For more articles on overcoming procrastination, check out these newsletter articles at http://www.orgcoach.net/newsletter.html

* Fear not. - The perfectionist's credo

* March 4. Time to move on.

* To do or not to do, that is the question here.

* The time has come. DO IT!

* First Things First

* Get productive!

Copyright 2005 Kathy Paauw