The two biggest (little) steps to getting what you want

April 1, 3:25 PMPortland Health and Happiness ExaminerChris Trout

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So now you know The Secret. You've read The Power of Intention and know  The Power of Now. You've even got a vision board. So, how's it going? Are you moving toward what you want? Are you feeling grateful, successful, balanced, relaxed, grounded, inspired, motivated, healthy...?

"A-a-ck" you say! "Be careful where you tread. I'm feeling a little vulnerable these days." 

Why is this so often the way it feels? For we...

• Want to take action in our lives.
• Intend to ask for and advocate for what we want.
• Are committed to taking the first steps.
• Are determined not to let another day pass.

But another day does pass. And you don't act. And you regret. And you lose steam.  Then time goes by, you have a big insight or revelation that will make it all different this time, and you start the whole process over again - albeit having peeled back yet another layer of your ever-so-complicated psyche.

Sound familiar? Here's the good news:  You are so not alone. Here's the bad news: You aren't nearly as uniquely complicated as you had hoped. ("Yes I am! Leave me alone!")

So what to do? Anything. That's right. Do any tiny, miniscule, pathetic, insignificant little thing even remotely related to what you want. It needn't be the right thing or the most productive or what anyone else thinks you should do. Just do any one thing - right now, today.

Then, tonight (and this is the important part), look yourself in the mirror. I mean it. Literally, look at yourself in the mirror... and thank yourself. Say, "(Self), I appreciate your action on __. Way to go. See you back here tomorrow night." Then, do it again tomorrow. This is how success works. Not very complicated. Not so dramatic.

Step 1: Do any simple act to move forward. (Yes, skipping just one chip from the bag counts. Saying "hi" to one person on the elevator counts. Getting the address of the masters program counts. Noticing one tree on the way home counts.)

Step 2: Express gratitude to yourself and the universe that supports you. Now repeat. And repeat. And repeat.

Do these two simple, insignificant, not-so-dramatic steps every day and soon your brain will get the idea. The actions will get bigger, a little more "significant," all on their own. Some actions will create their own next steps. New ideas will come to you at the oddest times. And before you know it, you will look at where you are and say "Now how did I get here?"