Why Short, Simple Steps Lead to Success

You wouldn’t expect a newcomer to your mountain-climbing club to be able to reach the peak of Kilimanjaro the first day they put on their hiking boots, so why would you expect to instantly change your typing speed from 30wpm to 90wpm? Don’t set your self up for disappointment by thinking you’ll instantly achieve success – in typing or in anything.

Instead, define a series of “mini-goals” you will strive to achieve along the journey towards reaching your ultimate goal. Breaking a goal up into smaller goals, or milestones as they’re sometimes called, is an effective way to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Failing to achieve a mini-goal has another important benefit – the consequences of missing a mini-goal are not as big, but they’ll still motivate you to get back on track.

Each time you reach one of your mini-goals, be sure to reward yourself for a job well done. How you reward yourself is up to you. Just do what makes you feel better, whether that’s eating dinner at your favorite restaurant, treating yourself to something new, or spending undisturbed time at the museum, beach, or other favorite location.

When you take time to reward yourself for achieving these mileposts along the way, you are more likely to stay motivated long-term. What’s even better is that each time you achieve a mini-goal, you get one step closer to achieving your ultimate goal and the feeling of satisfaction that goes along with it.

Finally, some people find it easier to achieve their goals when they write down their thoughts and experiences along the way. If you write about obstacles and how they were overcome, mistakes you made along the way, and things that facilitated your journey as they happen, you can look back at the process to see what’s been working, and what’s been standing in your way of success.

If you’re not fond of using a pen and notepad, don’t. Instead, why not document your journey in a blog or word processing document? Doing so will provide you with an opportunity to do the one thing that will help you achieve your touch typing goal: PRACTICE!