If you want to aim high, you have to start at the bottom. How far down you start depends not only on yourself, but often on many other factors. And usually, at the beginning, you don't even know how high you'll end up, or whether you might have to turn back halfway.
However, as is so often the case in life, the journey is the real destination, so it's best to guard against such doubts and just give it a try. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” is not just a empty saying, but one of the clearest truths there is.
So let's roll up our sleeves, lace up our shoes, and get going. Some may find the first few steps a little difficult, but if you really think about it, your good mood should quickly make you forget any tiredness and allow you to tackle the climb with enthusiasm and ease. With the right attitude, you should be able to gain a little ground quickly, which should have an additional positive effect on your motivation.
Perhaps you don't have your goal in sight yet and don't really have any idea how far it actually is. In this case, it's a good idea to look back every now and then and see how far you've come so far.
When your starting point becomes smaller and smaller, it is a clear indication that you have already come a long way, regardless of how that compares to the rest of the journey. There is no point in calculating and comparing; instead you should simply pat yourself on your back from time to time and praise yourself for having come this far. Some may be ahead of you, but there are plenty of others who haven't made it this far yet, and even some who have already given up.
It's probably similar to the question of “half full or half empty.” If you are able to maintain your positive attitude and perhaps even build on it, it should be much easier for you to persevere and not give up. And even if you can't completely dismiss the time argument, you shouldn't let it influence you too much.
Our time may be finite, but as already mentioned, the journey is our real goal – doesn't that mean that we have already arrived, always and everywhere?
Every step is a success and every meter a new record. Once we realize this, there can be no reason to think about whether it would be better to turn back. Even if we lose speed along the way, turning back or giving up is simply not an option.
When in doubt, it's okay to stop and catch your breath. And then it's best to turn around and look back at what you've already accomplished. From where you are now, it's much shorter to get to where you want to be in the end. And you should build on that success.
It's the small victories that will spur you on to continue and should drive you to strive even higher. As I said, time is not important. What counts is sticking to it and not losing sight of your goal. Even if it's not always clear what that goal actually is.
Where we stop today, we will continue tomorrow. With renewed enthusiasm and fresh energy, and hopefully a big smile on our faces. The right attitude is an important prerequisite for our success, which, as I said before, we can celebrate again with every step we take.
