Start Small. Finish Big. It’s that Simple.

How many of you slipped in behind the steering wheel of your parents’ car for the first time and just drove away? Okay, maybe a few of you. But how many of you ended up denting a fender and then had a lot of explaining to do? How many of you sat down in the first grade and wrote a best selling novel? I’d like to say that I did, but back then I didn’t know a B from a Q.

So how do you get there – from driving cross country to dip your big toe into the Pacific or to autographing copies of your first book for a long line of adoring book enthusiasts?

With all you have to do on a daily basis, you need to be inventive and steal a few minutes each day that you can claim for your very own. Seems like not enough time to even bother working towards a new goal or fulfilling a long held dream?

Well, I beg to differ.

Start small. Finish big. That’s it.

When you think about what would make your life have more meaning, does the big picture make you shake uncontrollably? Are you working or raising a family or both, but would love to take that dream about becoming a portrait photographer, a potter or a politician and bring it closer to a reality? Would you love to have more room in your life by removing years of junk that is taking over your closets and drawers and driving you to distraction? Start small. Finish big.

1) Give yourself a deadline. I had a client who wanted to clear out years of papers that had been making her bedroom a fire hazard. I asked her if she could devote 5 minutes over the weekend to go thru some of the papers. She mocked me when I suggested only 5 minutes, but agreed to it. We spoke the following week and she ending up giving herself 15 minutes and threw out 3 bags of items that no longer had room in her life. She started small and exceeded her goal. And she decided to keep giving herself permission to allow more into her life by getting rid of things that were taking up her space. Start small. Finish big.

2) Take 15 minutes for yourself. Yes, you can. Your dreams are calling and they would like an answer. In fifteen minutes, you could Google art schools in your area that offer photography course. Ask them for the names of advisors that you could talk to. You could call local art galleries and find out how to put together a show of your pottery. Start making it real. You could look up politicians in your area and call them about how you could volunteer in the community. Get that momentum going. Start small. Finish big.

3) Give your goals a safety net and watch what happens. Don’t abandon what you love to do or need to do because of time. So many other people found the time and achieved there goals. So why not you? You deserve it. Look for supportive people who will encourage you to move ahead. Steer clear of the negative people – they are the dream killers. Actually, they are scared to shake things up, but are probably envious of your spirit.

We need dreamers who reach their goals to inspire us all. Do it for us. Start small. Finish big, It’s that simple. Now get out there and give me 15!n