“Anyday we choose we can go to work on the basics-on any one of a host of small activities that will start the process of self-discipline. The joy that comes from this small achivement will start the miracle process. The early inspiration that comes from the practice of new and simple disciplines will start a process called “soaring self-worth.” It does not matter how small or how insignificant the activity is because it is within those obscure but important disciplines that the great opportunities exist.”-Jim Rohn
So how does this relate to the words commitment staircase?
Making and keeping small commitments to yourself is how you develop confident self-discipline. Confidence in your own discipline is what enables you to climb higher and higher on the stairway to your goals.
If you are trying to get in shape, it can start with a simple commitment to walk 5 minutes in a day. Then, regardless of the day’s twists and turns, you make certain you walk your five minutes. Once you have, acknowledge, that this tiny movement forward, is a discipline, a commitment you have kept. Surely you can build from this and walk six minutes the next day. And so on. Each day of keeping and growing the commitment slightly builds your belief in your self…in your ability to keep a commitment and to be disciplined. Before long you will be running if that is your goal. This could be the beginning of achieving a marathon if that is the goal…all starting with five minutes per day.
If your goal is to successfully build a business, it can start with the discipline of contacting one person today. And then proceeding on the same path as the walker. Empires have been developed starting this simply. This is what Jim Rohn means by the “miracle process.”
For many years of my life, I was highly undisciplined and I had very low self-esteem. My lack of discipline consistently produced poor results in my life, which kept my esteem low. Looking back, I now realize that I used a commitent to begin exercising as a path to growing my esteem because I made and kept small commitments. As I continued down this path, this became a benchmark for me. Proof to myself that I could be disciplined. As I became a more confident person, I began to apply this same model of discipline to my work.
The result was a recognition that I could climb any stairway, through small disciplines repeated.
What are you wanting to pursue that perhaps is so daunting in its end size you are frozen in place and not taking any action?
Whatever it is, commit to taking one tiny step today. Then tomorrow take two. Then three. Before you know it you will be flying towards you goal.