Each small step is valuable

A simple trick to recognise progress in the midst of uncertainty

I have spent all my life on some sort of railway tracks.
School gave me a structure and a target.
University gave me a structure and a target.
Work gave me a structure and a target.

I have trained myself to excel at this game.
Be a successful school student.
A prized university graduate.
And a successful manager.
And that has worked quite well.

But then things have changed.
I have decided to take a break from my job.
Jump out of the railtracks.
And that generated a quite unsettling feeling.
Often shared by people undergoing significant life changes.

The rules of the game have become unclear.
The structure and the target started lacking.
And my way of operating less effective.

Recognising progress in this environment have become very challenging.
Because of the lack of clear targets and structure.
Of benchmarks and routines.

To overcome this sense of stagnation, I have found helpful to engage in multiple activities¹.
But that was not enough.

Even if I was talking to people and attending online events.
Even if I was reading books and doing coaching sessions.
Even if I was making progress.
I was not able to visualise it.
I was missing a concrete measure of what progress was.
And my morale was affected.

That’s when I have developed a simple practice to assist me this process.
Which might help anyone working towards a still unclear or far ahead target.
Like figuring out how to get a promotion, or build a new profession or even change city.

It is a simple form of journaling.
Which I have called “Steps in the right direction”.

I have opened my mobile and created a short note.
Writing down, at the end of every day, at least one beneficial thing I had done.

It could have been anything.
From small things, like booking a call, to bigger activities, like attending a meetup or publishing an article.
Anything that was helping me to advance towards what seemed to be “the right direction”.

With a section for each day, one or more activities, and, sometimes, what I had learned for that experience (as shown in the screenshot below).

Through this simple process, which still takes no longer than a minute or two, I could regain a sense of progress.
Realise that even the smallest things have a value.
And start to connect the dots, while navigating uncertainty.

Are you also in a phase of significant change?
Or you simply missing sense of progress?
Give it a try!
It might work for you too.

Create a “Steps in the right direction” note now.
Write down a couple of small steps taken.
And you share your experience with us.

Have a fruitful journey,
— Livio

13/10/2022

P.s.: I am sharing my experience on making decisions in the face of high uncertainty. Like or subscribe to follow my journey and learn from my mistakes ;)

1. In the midst of uncertainty, I have found helpful to “just do”, as I elaborate further in this article.

“In doubt, just do”