I found this somewhere and saved it as the first thing I read when I open my journal. There is no author attached to it so I can’t give credit to anyone. If you happen to know its origin, please let me know and I will give proper credit to the writer.
Be not afraid of growing slowly, 
Be afraid only of standing still. (Chinese proverb)
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I call it “Baby Steps”…
“One step a day towards a goal, no matter how distant, is progress. It’s not much…but it’s progress.
Want to write a book? Okay…one word a day. A sentence if you wish…all right then, a paragraph…if you must…but not more than a chapter.
Want to draw? A blank piece of paper is a start of sorts…holding the pencil is the next obvious step. Putting pencil to paper is the breakthrough. Now stop! I dare you. You can’t. The pencil moves and the muse awakens.
Starting is the hard part, not the moving onwards…moving is easy…moving fast…without error, with confidence…that’ll come later…maybe.
But in the meantime, it’s one foot in front of the other, and the horizon rolls towards you,,,another word and another one, until out of the sentence a character forms and begins speaking…another line on top of a curve to form a suggestion of a shape…until the mountain rises from the paper.”
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I use this process for building new habits, writing articles for this website, or learning a new piece of music on my keyboard. It helps me focus on the present task and feel accomplishment in each small success.
When I studied piano years ago, my teacher had me play each note at a snail’s pace, gradually picking up speed as I was mentally ready. Playing slowly built body memory and accuracy…only then could I move a little faster, and a little faster than that.
It taught me to grow at my own pace, and feel a sense of accomplishment in each tiny successful step. Sometimes it was playing one bar at a time correctly without looking at my hands or the keys. Playing 2 bars and then a whole line with both hands was a cause for celebration!
Try applying this process to something you are trying to learn…it could be self talk that you are trying to change for the better…an attitude…better listening skills…breaking that sugar habit…
Baby Steps!
