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Proverb About Small Steps Versus Giant Leaps and Having An ‘All-Or-Something’ Mindset

“It is better to make many small steps in the right direction than to make a great leap forward only to stumble backward.”

Proverb

Beyond the Quote (Day 3)

When it comes to following through with new goals or resolutions, don’t be an all-or-nothing; be an all-or-something.  An all-or-nothing is the type of person who is either all-in or all-out.  Either everything they planned is unfolding perfectly and is being executed flawlessly, or it’s not and they place blame, come up with excuses, and quit.

An all-or-something person is the type of person who is either all-in or at least some-of-the-way-in.  Either everything they planned is unfolding surprisingly well and they’re executing well in spite of the challenges and curveballs of life, or something came up/ held them up/ threw them off/ slowed them down—and they did something that contributed to forward progress anyway. All-or-nothing mindsets err on the side of perfectionism.  All-or-something mindsets err on the side of imperfect progress.

What if, instead of pressuring yourself to execute your plans perfectly every single day, you focus on just showing up every single day and then taking as many steps forward as you can—no matter how small—given the circumstances?  What if you focused on being the type of person who doesn’t miss and simply embraces imperfect progress?  The type of person who always shows up and never gives up because they always change it up when something comes up.  The type of person who goes ALL-IN on their goals with an all-or-something mindset.  Moving forward in little steps every day is better than even the most massive leaps forward from someone who quits.


Read Next: 61 Powerful Keep Moving Forward Quotes To Help You During Hard Times


NEW In The Shop: Don’t Let The Tame Ones Tell You How To Live [Poster]

Why We ♥ It: Some of the best advice I (Matt here) ever got was: don’t take life advice from people who aren’t living a life you want to live and don’t take criticism from people you wouldn’t go to for advice. I created this poster to act as a reminder to listen more closely to our role models and less closely to our critics, trolls, and tamed-comfort-zone-hugger acquaintances. It’s also a perfect gift for the outdoor adventurer, travel enthusiast, or solo explorer (or soon to be). Available in print or digital download. 👇🏼

Matt Hogan — Founder of MoveMe Quotes

Written by Matt Hogan

Founder of MoveMe Quotes. On a mission to help busy people do inner work—for better mental health; for healing; for personal growth. Find me on Twitter / IG / Medium. I also share daily insights here. 🌱

It has taken me 1,000’s of hours to build this free library for you. If it has helped you, you can support my continued effort here. ☕️

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