NESSA’S NOTIONS: No half stepping … and no step skipping
Follow
By VANESSA W. SNYDER
A few weeks ago, a colleague took a small tumble down some outside stairs. Thankfully, she’s fine.
When I asked how it happened, she explained that she was trying to do two things at once (maybe three things, knowing her). She was in a hurry and anxious to get everything done.
Man, can I relate.
She missed the last three steps. That got me thinking about the steps to success. If you skip a few, you end up having to start over or at the very least slow down.
Think about it. Everything you’ve ever achieved in life – from learning to walk or learning to read and write – happened in steps. The same is true even as we navigate and reach for goals in our adult lives.
We take steps. And each step counts as a success.
When you write that book, finishing one chapter is success. As you lose weight, that first pound is a success. Getting that degree or dream job? It takes steps. Remember the “how-to-eat-an-elephant” approach.
One bite at a time.
On the doctoral journey, each paragraph, page, and chapter is progression toward success. And each incremental gain is worth celebrating. I’m learning so much about myself on along the way, including my desire to sometimes skip steps.
But I’ve learned that skipping just slows you down or hurts your progress.
So. I’m celebrating my steps. I recently took an important one forward on the path to doctorate. And even though I can see down the road a bit, I will not bypass the steps right in front of me.
I’ve worked too hard and too long to take a tumble now. And so have you.
So get to steppin! Your success awaits.
###
A former journalist currently working on her doctorate in Social Emotional Learning, Vanessa is a dedicated and passionate educator in the DC Public Schools system. She loves learning, leadership, innovation, collaboration, and discovering new ways to drive student gains and support staff members.
