Celebrate the Baby Steps

I've heard the definition of leadership is taking a group from "where they are" to "where they need to be." Vision is knowing "where they need to be." When God puts that in your heart, you desperately want to be there NOW....not months or years from now.....RIGHT NOW! There is a fire in your belly to see it through to completion. There is so much that needs to be done to get there, which can be completely paralyzing because the goal seems so far away. So how do you keep from getting paralyzed by the distance between "where you are" and "where you need to be"?

Here's my secret: Instead of getting mired down in the frustration of what is not happening yet, I have to celebrate the small steps we are taking in the right direction. There have been way too many times I did not celebrate the little victories because I was so frustrated with not being at the final destination yet. To keep the frustration from dominating my mind, I choose to focus on those little steps toward "where we need to be." The funny part is that most people don't see those baby steps. They don't pat you on the back in recognition of the of those positive forward nudges. Many times, people who follow you even question why you're doing what you are doing. As long as you have a clear picture of where it needs to be, the path toward the goal becomes more obvious. Just follow the path. Take the next step...however small it is....and celebrate the fact that you're not going backward or stagnating, as so many do. Remember, you won't know if those baby steps are victories unless you have the final destination in mind. So we can't ever forget where the final destination should be! Don't beat yourself up for not being there yet...just know you're getting there!

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." -Proverbs 19:21