“I could never make a living while traveling the world; it’s just not realistic.”
“My guitar won’t pay the bills. People think I’m crazy for trying.”
“I don’t have the money to go back to school. I’m stuck in this dead-end temp job.”
Most people dream of doing something that gives them a sense of excitement and purpose. Only some people believe in the possibility of that meaningful, exciting reality. Even fewer people pursue those goals in the face of adversity and discouragement.
Belief in possibility and the willingness to try can mean the difference between feeling alive and feeling stuck. Even if you don’t get where you’re headed, believing you can and working toward your dream is more powerful than you realize.
The woman who spends her days going to auditions—she may not be a famous actress, but she’s an actress who could find work, work that may lead to opportunities she can’t even imagine.
The man who wants to bike across the US someday—every hour he devotes to training increases his chances of achieving his goal. Every time he dots an i on his dream-to-do list, he’s one step closer to actually doing what some people say he can’t.
There will always be people who doubt you, people who think you should do what’s easy, customary, and reasonable. Sometimes you may even be one of those people. Don’t think about them today. Instead, think about one simple step.
Maybe it’s the first thing you need to do. Research scholarship programs. Request a job application. Schedule a lesson. Or maybe you’ve already made some strides but there’s still more to be done.
Whatever the case may be, do something today. Take that step with faith in your ability to become who you want to be. Even if you have a lingering doubt in the back of your mind, suspend it for just a short while and believe in your potential.
A small step won’t turn fantasy into reality. But one step leads to another, which leads to another, and eventually creates change. You never know where your steps will take you in life, but they’ll take you a lot further if you visualize where you want to go and act as though you can get there.

About Lori Deschene
Lori Deschene is the founder of Tiny Buddha. She started the site after struggling with depression, bulimia, c-PTSD, and toxic shame so she could recycle her former pain into something useful and inspire others to do the same. You can find her books, including Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal and Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal, here and learn more about her eCourse, Recreate Your Life Story, if you’re ready to transform your life and become the person you want to be.
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I agree, it just takes one small step. And then another. And then another. It's best to look at each step, instead of the big picture so we don't get overwhelmed.
Thanks for this great post!
Dayne
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Josie Kopecky and Tiny Buddha, Joyce Aldaba. Joyce Aldaba said: RT @tinybuddha: One simple step can be powerful http://bit.ly/4ldMaK […]
Thank you Tiny Buddha:
You are absolutely right. The journey of a lifetime begins with one happy step forward.
Thanks for providing such useful and enlightening positive web content.
Regards,
Clarisa
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Good stuff. I also think that by pursuing our goals we are creating peace of mind. If we try and yet fail, we can have the satisfaction of knowing at least we made an effort.
And it's never too late to make some sort of effort for some sort of worthy accomplishment. Even if it's inward. It's always worth it.
Hope you like it
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This is wonderful advice:)
This is wonderful advice:) You made me smile!
I like this, and it's good to hear, even if it is somewhat touchy feely new agey…
Just Beautiful !
One of my favorite quotes “To make all your secret dreams come true, just take that first step then follow through”
Thank you for the post 🙂
I love these.. just in time today,, like always!
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I love these.. just in time today,, like always!
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wonderful!
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