The old saying goes that even the greatest journey starts with the tiniest of steps – or words to that effect!   But the challenge in life is not just to start a journey, but to keep going.  Research points to the fact that the vast majority of people who stumble or fail on their chosen journey – be it a new business venture, a weight loss goal or the desire to progress at a particular sport or musical instrument – will rarely try a second time or almost never have third or fourth attempt.  And it was Calvin Coolidge who alerted us to the importance of persistence, stating that only perseverance leads to success.

Last week, a client and I discussed the importance of taking even the smallest of steps by way of staying on the path to effortless success.  The idea that even two or three minutes meditation in a day is infinitely better than no mental exercising at all was likened to us putting another penny in the slot so that, sooner or later, pennies will drop for us.  I don’t know about you but, when I was growing up, we often went to the amusement arcade where you rolled pennies down a slot, onto a moving platform that had loads of pennies – most of them appeared as if they were about to cascade over the edge, into my hand!

In life, in business, in meditation, we simply don’t know which penny will tip the balance.  But the one sure thing is that, if we stop putting our daily penny in the slot, we will not reap the benefits of the pennies we’ve already invested.  Indeed, we will come to the incorrect conclusion that we wasted those initial pennies.  Every penny counts – every moment of mindfulness leads you to a greater awareness, opens your mind further to the possibilities of life and, indeed, the opportunities that may well be staring you in the face if you only had eyes to see.

For everyone with whom I have worked, sooner or later, pennies drop, the scales fall from our eyes.  But you’ve got to put your penny in the slot – today...

Second Life - Why Not Get a First One!