In past articles we’ve looked at the concept of stretching your comfort zone via building on your small successes.
This concept was beautifully demonstrated in Todd Smith’s new book, LITTLE THINGS MATTER: 100 Ways To Improve Your Life Today, a book on success written by a hugely successful entrepreneur.
In Lesson 10, he suggests that as one builds their self-confidence in doing the little things, one slowly builds their confidence to do the bigger things. Yep, we build on our small successes.
Here’s Todd:
An experience my son Jake had is a perfect illustration. Jake’s first job was a bagger at a local grocery story. Jake is an introvert. He is especially shy around strangers. One day I challenged him to start being friendly to the customers whose groceries he bagged. The first day he talked to two customers, the next day five, the next day ten,and by the sixth day he talked to 50 people. Each day Jake told me about his results and I could sense his confidence was growing. One day a head cashier told him he was very good with people—a compliment he thought he would never hear anyone say.
Great story and excellent example; both for kids and for we…older kids, who realize growth is a continuing and never-ending process.
So, as Todd suggests, stretch a bit and do the little things. They will turn into successful bigger things.
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LITTLE THINGS MATTER: 100 Ways To Improve Your Life Today (Foreword by Brian Tracy) is published by SUCCESS BOOKS.
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Bob, I posted my interview with Barry Moltz last week where he shares a similar sentiment – “Strive for Minimal Achievement”. It’s also aligned with my favorite Gandhi quote “Almost anything you can do is irrelevant, and it’s imperative that you do it.”
I’m right with you and Todd on this one. Do the seemingly unimportant things that ultimately build masterpieces. Thanks again for a great post!
Hi Jim, thank you for your comment. Sounds like a great interview with Barry. Regarding your second paragraph, just as a thought, I didn’t interpret Todd’s message to mean that the little things are “unimportant”…only that they are little. The idea is that the little successes lead to bigger successes. I don’t see “little” and “unimportant” as being one and the same.
Hi Bob,
Thanks for profiling Jake’s story. It is amazing to watch his life improve as he continues to push and stretch himself to do the little things.
Happy Holidays!
Todd
. Received my copies of Little Things Matter. A must read for 2011