Baby Steps, Big Wins: Tackling Life One Tiny Task at a Time

“Baby steps.” I never truly understood what that meant—until I got older.

And no, I’m not talking about the adorable wobbly first steps your toddler takes (though those are pretty awesome). I’m talking about the small, manageable steps we need to take as adults—to complete tasks, overcome obstacles, or chase our goals. The stuff that actually moves us forward in life.

Like Brian Tracy says in his book Eat That Frog:

“You eat the frog one bite at a time.”

As a kid, that concept flew right over my head. For me, it was always all or nothing: either you do something or you don’t. That mindset led to a lot of procrastination—because if I wasn’t ready, confident, or in the mood to do something, I just… didn’t.

But here’s the plot twist: those feelings never go away.
Fear. Doubt. Overwhelm. They follow you into adulthood, and the stakes just get higher. Missed bills, growing debt, neglected health, relationships on edge—it’s no longer about not doing your homework. Now it’s about not losing control of your life.

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When Small Tasks Become Big Monsters

Maybe you’ve been there:

• You avoid paying bills because you’re low on funds and stressed about money.
• You ignore car maintenance because you’re too busy—and now you’re stuck on the freeway.
• You keep putting off healthy habits, and suddenly you’re looking at serious health issues (plus a mountain of medical bills).

It’s like one small delay becomes a snowball of chaos. Before you know it, that tiny frog you were supposed to eat turns into a Godzilla-sized monster ready to swallow you whole.

But here’s the thing: monsters shrink when you take a baby step.

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Even Laundry Can Teach You This

Let’s take the universally hated chore of laundry.
Most people don’t hate laundry because of laundry. They hate it because they’re thinking about a week’s worth, the whole family’s, 20 loads stacked high. It’s overwhelming.

But what if you zoomed in?

• Just toss one shirt into the hamper.
• Put one load into the washer.
• Dry one load.
• Fold one shirt at a time.

Maybe spread the folding throughout the day. Or heck, fold while watching your favorite show. (Yes, I know you don’t have time for that either—but you probably scroll TikTok, so…)

Sure, this might sound silly or extreme. You might be thinking, “I can’t break everything down like this!”

But what if you could? What if breaking things into baby steps is the trick your brain needs to stop catastrophizing and just start?

Everything feels impossible when viewed as a mountain. But up close, it’s just one step at a time.
Just like how they say to picture the audience in their underwear when you’re nervous about public speaking—it’s about changing your perspective.

• That overwhelming debt? Start with one phone call.
• That fitness goal? Start with a walk around the block.
• That unfinished project? Start by opening the doc.

Once you take that first bite, that first step, you’ll feel momentum kick in. And that momentum? It’s powerful. It’s how you win.

Your mind can empower you or sabotage you. It can blow things out of proportion or break them down into bite-sized, conquerable tasks.

So ask yourself:
Do you want to cross the finish line?
If the answer is yes, then start walking—even if it’s in baby steps.

Because progress is still progress, no matter how slow.
And one day, you’ll look back and realize…
you climbed the whole mountain.