From Wishes to Actions – Small Steps, Big Changes

 From Wishes to Actions – Small Steps, Big Changes

A Training Room Revelation

During a personal effectiveness training program, I asked my participants a simple question: "What is one thing you would like to do but don't do consistently?"

What came back surprised me. The responses weren't about grand ambitions or life-changing goals. They were beautifully, painfully ordinary:

1. "I want to read a book, but I can't find time."
2. "I want to eat fruit regularly, but I don't."
3. "I want to journal."
4. "I don't drink water at regular intervals."
5. "I don't walk enough."
6. "I can't stay in touch with my friends."
7. "I keep forgetting to buy things for my home."
8. "I want to sketch."

In a class of fifteen, many nodded in agreement—these weren't isolated struggles. They were shared, silent battles.

Since it was a two-day program, I parked these questions and went home to research. What I found—and what I already practised—became the backbone of Day 2. Let me walk you through each challenge and its surprisingly simple solution.

1. "I Want to Read a Book, But I Can't Find Time"

The Solution: Make the book visible.

Buy the book you want to read. Carry it in your bag to the office. Place it on your desk every single day—religiously, whether you read it or not.

You probably won't read it at first. But the book's presence will quietly nudge you. Start with just one page before or after a break. Interest will grow. Before you know it, you'll have finished your first book and built a lasting habit.

The principle: Visibility creates opportunity. Out of sight, out of mind.

2. "I Want to Eat Fruits Regularly, But I Don't"

The Solution: Put them where your eyes land.

Buy your favourite fruit—just a small quantity. Carry it to your workstation daily and place it right in front of your eyes. When hunger or exhaustion strikes, reach for it instead of the vending machine.

If it's a pomegranate or grapes, take a few pieces and finish them slowly through the day. No pressure. No perfection. Just presence.

The principle: Make the healthy choice the easy choice.

3. "I Want to Journal"

The Solution: Start embarrassingly small.

Carry a notepad and pen. On the cover page, write these words in bold: "I am good at journaling." Make sure you can see them.

After a few hours of work, open one page and write a single sentence that comes to mind. Spend a minute or two. Do this at least four times a day.

In a few months, you'll have the confidence to publish it as a book. All the best to the author in you!

The principle: Identity precedes action. Tell yourself who you are, then act like it.

4. "I Don't Drink Water at Regular Intervals"

The Solution: Keep it transparent and in sight.

Carry a transparent water bottle with a sipper. Place it in front of your eyes so you can see it. After a few hours of work, just sip—whether you're thirsty or not.

Keep sipping at regular intervals throughout the day. Ensure you finish the bottle.

The principle: Hydration is a habit, not a response to thirst. By the time you feel thirsty, you're already behind.

5. "I Don't Walk Much"

The Solution: Sneak movement into your day.

• Take the stairs instead of the lift—based on your endurance.
• Walk to the nearby shop instead of taking your two-wheeler.
• Keep your printer away from your desk and walk to collect your prints.
• Set an alarm every 90 minutes to remind yourself to walk for 5 minutes.

Six such walks a day add up to 30 minutes of walking. That's a full workout, hidden in plain sight.

And here's a motivational trick: keep a slimmer version of your photo where you can see it regularly. Let it remind you why you're staying fit.

The principle: Don't find time to exercise. Build exercise into the time you already have.

6. "I Can't Stay in Touch with My Friends"

The Solution: Treat connection like medicine—three times a day.

In the modern world, this statement is hard to digest. We have more tools for connection than ever before.

But here's a simple routine: call three friends a day. Make it as routine as taking your medicine. A WhatsApp greeting, a like on their status, an appreciation on Facebook or LinkedIn—these small gestures keep relationships alive.

The principle: Connection doesn't require hours. It requires consistency.

7. "I Tend to Forget to Buy Things for My Home"

The Solution: Give your personal life a to-do list too.

You maintain a to-do list for work. Why not for home?

Keep a handwritten list in your notepad—and keep it open. Write the list in red pen in the centre of the page and circle it. Take notes around it. This way, you'll see the list throughout the day, and the chances of forgetting drop dramatically.

The principle: What gets written gets remembered. What gets seen gets done.

8. "I Want to Sketch"

The Solution: Start before you're ready.

Like journaling, carry a sketching notebook and keep it on your table. Sketch whenever you feel like it.

Don't get carried away by perfection. Starting is more important than being perfect. Once you start and finish, you can always correct it.

The principle: Perfection is the enemy of progress. Begin messy. Refine later.

The Common Thread: The First Step

Many of us carry such lists in our minds. But we always fail to take the first step—so the list remains a wish list, a life unlived.

Here's what I've learned: A small start makes a big difference.

Don't worry about the destination. Just start. Enjoy the journey.

The gap between "I want to" and "I do" is bridged by one tiny, deliberate action. Take it today.

 

M.L. Narendra Kumar