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Inspiration
How to achieve big goals with small steps
When I started swimming this summer after almost a year’s break, I could barely do two lengths at a time. Disappointed with my fitness level, I set myself a goal to do 25 lengths (625 meters), without a break, before the season was over. I had six months to achieve the goal but the voices from inside said ‘that’s too hard’, ‘but you are traveling half the time’, ‘why not 20 lengths that I used to do comfortably?’
My only response to the voices was: ‘Small steps towards big goals’. It’s a principle that has always worked for me, and for many others that I have shared it with. It’s a simple principle:
- Break it down: Whether the goal is about weight loss, savings or achieving sales targets, it gets easier once you break it down into small, manageable pieces. These can be monthly/weekly milestones or weekly/daily action steps. My dream of writing a book only materialized when I committed to write one chapter every weekend – I had the book ready in two years (100 chapters in 100 weeks).
- Stay focused: Once the goal is broken down, only focus on the small steps instead of worrying about the big goal. For example, focus on losing 1kg per week instead of worrying about 20kgs in five months. Or meeting one prospect a day to close one order a week, rather than the seemingly huge annual sales target.
- Persist: Don’t give up on the goal, or the action steps. Even if you don’t see the results, or even if the results are not so obvious. You may go through a week without losing 1kg despite the diet and exercise, but carry on the next week and the next. Professional salespeople know this very well – zero order this week often means two orders next week, as long as you continue to see new prospects every day. The more goals you give up on, the harder it will be to set new goals.
Most importantly, we must understand the difference between a wish/dream and a goal: A goal is specific and has a deadline. ‘I wish I could swim like that guy’ or ‘I need to improve my stamina’ is not the same as ‘I will swim 25 lengths in one go, before the end of October.’
In summary: Pick one thing from your wish list. Convert it into a six-month goal. Break it down into monthly milestones and daily or weekly action steps. Start the action; don’t give up. Every goal achieved will give you more confidence in yourself and the principle.
“If you hear a voice within you say, ‘you cannot paint’, then by all means paint. And that voice will be silenced.” -Van Gogh
PS. I did my 25 lengths today. Next goal: 1km swim before the end of the year.
[Photo during River Li cruise with Salma – another one of the important goals achieved this month]
Free iCard: inspiring quote by Van Gogh
Download more inspiration cards (iCards) here.
Inspiring quotes by Paulo Coelho
Three years ago on this blog (re-post from September 2009)
- No one can avoid defeat. That is why it is better to lose a few battles in the fight for your dreams than to be defeated without even knowing why you are fighting.
- We are allowed to make a lot of mistakes in our lives, except the mistake that destroys us.
- If we pay close attention we will come to realize that no day is the same as another. Every morning brings with it a hidden blessing.
- Absolute freedom does not exist; what does exist is the freedom to choose anything you like and then commit yourself to the decision.
- Start to do something. That way, time will be an ally, not an enemy.
[Photo during a boat cruise on River Li, from Guilin to Yangshuo]
The best ferry ride of my life… 30 minutes, 30 photos… colors of the sky…
I wasn’t sure about the best title for this post. So I wrote all three of them. I wasn’t even sure if this photo post belongs here where I only share tips on happiness, health, productivity, relationships and motivation. But I hope these photos inspire some reader somewhere to take a break from a busy day and enjoy the amazing beauty of nature, whether it be sunrise, sunset, water, hills, snow, leaves… whatever we usually take for granted.
I took this 30-minute ferry ride from Aberdeen (not too far from my place in Hong Kong) to Mo Tat Wan, a part of the Lamma Island. As you can tell, it looked quite grey and gloomy during the first few minutes. Then I got lucky! All of a sudden, as if someone started painting the sky in shades of oranges and reds. The color of the water also started to change simultaneously. It was just magical. I have taken this ride hundreds of times with family and friends, and watched many a spectacular sunsets, but there was something special about today. I was alone, and without any reading material or the iPhone. Just my Canon Ixus. See all the photos individually here.
What do you think?
Download my free photo ebook and photo eCards from here.
Inspirational eCard: Paulo Coelho on dreams
These eCards are made using my collection of photos, and are free to download and share. More here.
Inspirational eCard for free download
These eCards are made using my own photos, and are free to download and share. Some more here.
5 reasons why I travel solo sometimes
Same time last week, I was struggling with my translation app while chatting to a local family over dinner, overlooking the quiet Dongjiang Lake in a remote area of China, called Chenzhou. The family owned the small hotel I was staying in. I had no hurry to go back to my room; no plans for the next day or the day after. I was discovering the joys of traveling solo.
For most of my life, I believed traveling alone for leisure/holiday could not be fun. I even let go of many opportunities to see new places just because I didn’t have company. Sometimes the idea seemed very selfish, considering that I have a wonderful family I love to travel with. But my first solo trip to New Zeeland changed it all. I realized the benefits of traveling alone and have never missed an opportunity. After my trip to Chenzhou, a couple of friends asked me how could I travel alone to such places. And that inspired this post, which answers the why instead of how:
- It’s easy to pick any place you want if you don’t have to worry about the preferences of your companion(s). If the journey, place or the experience turns out to be a disaster, you don’t have anyone else to blame. I would have never picked Chenzhou of all the places!
- You can freely experiment destinations, modes of travel, accommodations that you have never tried before, knowing that you wouldn’t be ‘ruining’ someone else’s trip. The amazing train journey in China was a result of such an experiment.
- You are more likely to engage in conversations with fellow travelers during the journey, and with locals during your time on the ground. These conversations tell you more about the people and place than any guide book or the tripAdvisor.com
- You can make your own spontaneous plans. I was up at 5:30 and out by 6, hiking up a trail I knew nothing about, discovering the waterfalls the local family had mentioned. It was truly a path only walked by the locals living on the other side of the mountains.
- Traveling solo gives you time with yourself – to think, meditate, find answers or new questions, or just enjoy the beauty of the world in quiet solitude. The half an hour I spent sitting quietly at this pagoda seemed like an eternity. It was one of the toughest things to just sit and not do anything, but also the most rewarding and memorable part of the trip.
I am all in favor of enjoying holidays with family and friends, which can be great fun and some of the best bonding experiences. But traveling solo has its own joys that you must experience.
Please share your experience if you have traveled solo, or your fears if you haven’t. These eCards were part of an inspiration during the same trip. Check them out and let me know what you think.
Inspirational eCards for free download
My first attempt at creating inspirational eCards using my collection of photos. Un-copyrighted, free to download and share. Some more here.
[Photo of Dongjiang Lake in Chenzhou, taken during the last weekend]
It’s possible to lose 140 lbs in 10 months!
This video has had millions of hits on YouTube. In a couple of other videos, the trainer has confirmed that Arther had to change his diet a lot, apart from the yoga. Some people are asking about the diet or exercise program; some are asking whether or not Arther can maintain his weight. To me, this just shows the power of belief and the human will.
Please share with anyone who needs some inspiration.
10 life lessons by Einstein
- Follow Your Curiosity: “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”
- Perseverance is Priceless: “It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”
- Focus on the Present: “Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”
- The Imagination is Powerful: “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions. Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
- Make Mistakes: “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”
- Live in the Moment: “I never think of the future – it comes soon enough.”
- Create Value: “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”
- Don’t be repetitive: “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
- Knowledge Comes From Experience: “Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience.”
- Learn the Rules and Then Play Better: “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.” Source: Paolo Coelho’s blog
[Photo of an amazing flower during a recent hike in Hong Kong]
A year ago on Mush’s blog: One of the most beautiful videos…
I can’t say what moved me more, the video or the story behind it – as narrated by the videographer, Terje Sorgjerd:
“This was filmed between 4th and 11th April 2011. I had the pleasure of visiting El Teide. Spain’s highest mountain @(3718m) is one of the best places in the world to photograph the stars and is also the location of Teide Observatories, considered to be one of the world´s best observatories. 
The goal was to capture the beautiful Milky Way galaxy along with one of the most amazing mountains I know El Teide. I have to say this was one of the most exhausting trips I have done. There was a lot of hiking at high altitudes and probably less than 10 hours of sleep in total for the whole week. Having been here 10-11 times before I had a long list of must-see locations I wanted to capture for this movie, but I am still not 100% used to carrying around so much gear required for time-lapse movies.
A large sandstorm hit the Sahara Desert on the 9th April and at approx 3am in the night the sandstorm hit me, making it nearly impossible to see the sky with my own eyes.
Interestingly enough my camera was set for a 5 hour sequence of the milky way during this time and I was sure my whole scene was ruined. To my surprise, my camera had managed to capture the sandstorm which was backlit by Grand Canary Island making it look like golden clouds. The Milky Way was shining through the clouds, making the stars sparkle in an interesting way. So if you ever wondered how the Milky Way would look through a Sahara sandstorm, look at 00:32.”
5 inspiring quotes by Leo Buscaglia
Don’t spend your precious time asking, ‘Why isn’t the world a better place?’ It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is ‘How can I make it better?’ To that there is an answer.- The easiest thing to be in the world is you. The most difficult thing to be is what other people want you to be. Don’t let them put you in that position.
- Too often, we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
- Ancient Egyptians believed that upon death they would be asked two questions and their answers would determine whether they could continue their journey in the afterlife. The first question was, ‘Did you bring joy?’ The second was, ‘Did you find joy?’
- A wonderful realization will be the day you realize that you are unique in the entire world. There is nothing that is an accident. You are a special combination for a purpose – and don’t let them tell you otherwise… only you can fulfill that tiny space that is yours.
If haven’t read or heard Leo Buscaglia, please search for his talks on YouTube. His lectures on love and living are extremely motivational!
[Photo of the Bride’s Pool Waterfalls in Hong Kong, taken last week]
Read more inspiring pieces and quotes in my book, Dhinchak Life
Nelson Mandela’s words of wisdom
Have you ever been inspired by Nelson Mandela’s stories of the struggle for freedom, his perseverance over the 27 years in prison, his reforms during presidency, or the 250 awards he received over the last 40 years? You can read more about his inspiring life in his book, Long Walk to Freedom, or in this summary at Wikipedia. Today is Mandela’s 94th birthday, and the Nelson Mandela’s International Day. Here’s my selection of ten quotes by Mandela, starting with the one I find the most inspiring:
- There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.
- A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.
- After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.
- Does anybody really think that they didn’t get what they had because they didn’t have the talent or the strength or the endurance or the commitment?
- Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
- If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.
- It always seems impossible until its done.
- Money won’t create success, the freedom to make it will.
- There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.
- We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.
Which one did you like best?
[Photo of Cape Town City Hall, taken during my trip in December 2011. This is where Mandela gave his first public speech after being released from the prison.] Another related post.
[A year ago on Mush’s blog] Keeping promises
[Here’s the original post a year ago on this blog]
This post is inspired by someone I met today in Colombo. When he decided to move back to Sri Lanka from the Middle East 15 years ago, his wife wasn’t too happy with the decision. She loved Dubai too much. This man promised his wife that he’ll bring her to Dubai for at least ten days every year. And he hasn’t missed a year since. He told me it was difficult at times to take the ten days off because of work pressure, or other priorities, ‘but a promise is a promise’.
How often do we sabotage our relationships, health, productivity, talent, dreams… by not fulfilling the commitments that we make to ourselves or others. Whether big or small, every broken promise adds up to create an unhappy situation. Some of the most commonly broken promises I can think of:
- To our loved ones: I’ll call you back in a minute. I’ll do it during the weekend. I’ll be there for the… (birthday party or the game or the parent-teacher meeting). We’ll take a vacation this year.
- To our kids: We’ll read it tonight. Yes, I’ll help with your math. I’ll fix it tomorrow. We’ll go there during the weekend.
- At work: I am working on it. I’ll email you today. I’ll clean up my desk. I’ll call you back. I’ll learn the new… (skill, system, program, equipment) soon.
- To ourselves: I’ll start exercising. I’ll read that book. I’ll eat healthy. I’m off desserts. I quit coffee. I’ll wake up earlier. I’ll clean up. I’ll volunteer. I’ll start saving.
And I am as guilty as anybody else. What about you? Let’s promise to keep our promises!
[Photo during a take-off from Hong Kong last week – totally unrelated to the topic, of course]
Read more about self motivation in my new book: Dhinchak Life
What’s a 3-day monk?
I learnt a new phrase today: Being a 3-day monk. It’s a direct translation of a Japanese term, “Mikka Bouzu” (me-kah boh-zu). A 3-day monk is a person who starts a new project with a lot of commitment and passion, only to give it up soon and move on to something else. It could be a new diet plan, exercise routine, language course, music lesson, quitting a bad habit, starting a good habit… anything that takes time and consistency to be effective.
We are all guilty of being a 3-day monk for one thing or the other. Why do we quit so easily? Why is it so difficult to pursue anything with consistency? What would it take to be a 30-day or 300-day monk?
[Photo of a Shaolin Monk demonstrating his superior balancing skills learnt over years of practice]
PS. My first book, Dhinchak Life, was written over a period of two years – one piece per week.
Two ways of not achieving your goals
- Not starting at all.
- Not going all the way.
[Photo during one of the McLehose Trails in Hong Kong]
Find more inspiration in my new book: Dhinchak Life
4 reasons why today is your best day!
A piece from “Today is Your Best Day” by Roy Lessin:
It’s not your best day because you feel like it is, or because you prevent that it is. It is not your best day because everything is going perfectly, or because you are living in ideal circumstances. It is not your best day because you are in optimum health, or because everything is going you way.
Here are four reasons why today is your best day:
- Today is your best day because you are here. God has placed you in this moment of time for a purpose, and the things that happen to you today will be an unfolding of that purpose.
- What happened to you yesterday, however easy or difficult, was used by God to help prepare you for what he has for your today.
- God will use what happens today to prepare you for what he has for you in future days.
- God has used your past and worked it all together for the good, and he will use this day to add to the good that he has already worked on your behalf.
God doesn’t make bad days for your and good days for you. God makes each day fit perfectly into his plans for you.
[Photo of sunrise from one of the McLehose Trails in Hong Kong]
Read more inspiring pieces in my new book, Dhinchak Life
Inspiration from a 66-year old graduating!
Trevor Lunn has been one of my biggest mentors, greatest inspirations and best friends ever since I first met him in 1989. Trevor has achieved many amazing things in life… and now he has graduated at the age of 66!
Trevor studied medicine when he was a youngster, but life events, such as marriage and kids, and the pressure of earning a living for the family, intervened, and he did not finish his medicine degree. He regretted that ever since. So when he retired and moved to Melbourne, he decided to go back to university and enrolled with Deakin University as a full-time student to study health science. As a mature age undergrad (probably the most matured on record), he put in extra efforts and achieved exceptional results. In the three years of studying, he got high distinctions in almost all subjects and numerous awards for being top of the class.
And finally, his dream just came true – he graduated with distinction and wore a mortar board on his head. He had self doubts about his ability to do a degree at this age. But apart from the strong desire of self-actualisation, he also wanted to set an example to his kids and grandkids – that if you put your mind to it, you’ll achieve great results despite the odds.
[Thanks to Priscilla Lunn for helping with the story. Here’s another piece I had written about Trevor when he was retiring in 2009.]
Free ebook: 47 Tips for Enhancing Life
Today (April 12) I turn 47 years old. It amazes me that I’ve been around that long. I feel like I’ve barely begun. As always, it’s an opportunity to reflect on what I’ve achieved, what I’ve learnt, and where do I want to be in five or ten years from now.
Through this photo book, I am sharing 47 tips on happiness, health, relationships and productivity – all of which can enhance life. The photos used in the book are from my personal collection. You can download the book by clicking on the book cover, or from this link. If you find this useful, please share with others too. I will consider that your birthday gift to me.
Mush Panjwani 