Small Changes Big Results part III

ENJOY THE RIDE

For better or worse, our convenience - driven culture has convinced us that we can have what we want immediately, and that hurts us when it comes to actualizing our dreams. "We're too used to getting everything right this minute," Koval says. "People have these big plans, they get all excited, but the if it doesn't happen right away, they fall off the wagon." It's important to remember, she says, that when we plant seeds for something new, it always takes time for them to grow.

You probably can't knit your frist sweater in a single sitting, nor can you achieve the perfect garden in a single day. Cultivate patience with your self; realize that the journey is part of, not just a prelude to, the goal itself. We like finish lines, says de Bonvoisin, but that middle zone, where you can see the effort but not the result, is crucial. "Get good at the in-between stage, when you're not here or there, and yet it's okay." That's the approach Kathy Oda of Matthews, North Carolina, took last year when she decided to face up to her weight problem. Her goal was positively daunting: Lose 150 pounds. But instead of staring down that one huge nubmer, she aimed for the next pants size down. "I'm a women's size 16 right now, and my ultimate goal is a misses size 10," Oda says. "I buy a smaller pair of jeans as soon as I acheive each step so that I have something to keep trying on every until my goal is achieved."