“A Journey Of A Thousand Miles”

The old wise saying “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step” has overtimes been enacted and re-enacted, yet many do not make this simple but crucial quote part of their everyday lifestyle.
Life itself is a journey, with everyone living each second of their lives as if in a race, the trend of survival of the fittest abounds everywhere. However, several people have failed to take that step in pursuing their goals. Although Lao Tzu wrote; “the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”, I will say “a journey of a thousand mile begins with a bold step”, because it takes boldness and courage to take that step to achieve your desired goals.
Joseph Campbell noted; “if you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it’s not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That’s why it’s your path”. This therefore depicts the importance of taking that bold step in reaching for your dreams in life.
Every point in life you find yourself is a journey, and that bold step you take determines the result you achieve at the end of that journey.
However, many persons have failed to take that bold step as a result of fear. It’s not enough to have a dream seeing yourself rising to utmost heights, you have to take that bold step by setting out steps to achieve those dreams.
Also, laziness and inner resistance has prevented many from taking the first step. However, what people should know is that once you take one bold step in the direction of your goal, the second step would follow. However, you have to take the first step for the second to follow, as the first step is very important. Once you are able to make the first step, it will be very easy to overcome laziness and inner resistance.
Furthermore, taking that first bold step at any point in time in your life’s journey will help boost your confidence and strengthen your motivation and desire to succeed.
Taking that bold step is a decision you have to make. In fact, decision is the biggest and boldest step in any ‘journey’ worth taking.  Deliberately deciding to do something different, deciding to make a change, to go on a big adventure, to achieve a feat is something that requires boldness. However, it doesn’t end with the decision. You have to pursue that goal earnestly that not achieving it becomes the impossible notion in one’s mind. We are all at a certain stage in our journeys of life, we don’t claim to have all the answers but we do care enough to get closer to them. Atimes, there is a feeling to take the first bold step, but many neglect this feeling, hence refusing to take that first important step. The first step which could be that deliberate decision to do something new, distinctive, bold and different may appear to be the hardest, however, it is also the most important step because after that first bold step, several things happen to your own advantage to help you achieve that set goal(s).
A Chinese proverb goes thus; “to get through the hardest journey, we need to take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping”.
The simple but vital words of making the first bold step is very important in every facets of life, be it education, job, business, friendship, marriage, and many more. There is always a need to take that bold step that will sky-rocket you to immeasurable heights in life.
Furthermore, when taking that bold step, it’s very important to project yourself into the future. Be less concerned about what will happen when you take that step, as when progress comes as a result of you taking that step, it will be something worth celebrated.
It is very important to note that taking that first bold step doesn’t necessarily mean embarking on a huge project; the first bold step you need might just be writing down what you want to achieve like it’s a ‘to-do’ instead of a ‘to-dream’, and envisage yourself living those big dreams of yours. To others, taking that bold step may mean surrounding themselves with people who have lived their dreams and achieved their goals in life. This will boost their courage and as well help them strive to achieving their goals in life. It does not mean imitating those people, but emulating the way in which they achieved their goals.
Surrounding yourself with like-minded peers and people who share similar ideas with you is also a way of taking that first bold step. Keeping a company of friends who share similar goals with you makes you form a bond with them hence, makes it easier for you all to strive to attaining a common goal. However, when forming an alliance with individuals with similar ideas with you, it is important that they are people who reach forward to bringing their goals into fruition, and people who are not scared of taking that first bold step, because if you are surrounded with people with no ambition, taking that first bold step to actualize your dreams may seem awkward to you. Find people who have similar ambitions with you, or who have done something similar to what you intend doing and make friends with them.
In addition, you could share your dreams and goals with trusted individuals, as this can be a way of boosting your courage to take that first bold step to achieving that dream. Also, sharing your dreams with people opens a gateway for people who have opportunity to help you to do so. Once you are clear about what you want, and learn how to articulate your dreams, your world completely changes as people enter your life to help you achieve your dreams.
Whatever ‘journey’ of life you may want to embark on, taking that first bold step is very crucial to reaching your destination because for instance, ‘you cannot talk of alighting from a bus without boarding the bus in the first place’. It’s also pertinent to love yourself enough to listen to your own dreams, goals, visions and aspirations. Sometimes, people are more willing to help others achieve their dreams rather than ‘push play’ to their own dreams. This is not to say that you shouldn’t help others achieve their goals. You should, but you shouldn’t neglect yours. Don’t ignore building those ideas inside of you.
Aaron Levie wrote; “a great mission will attract like-minded individuals that want to go on the same journey”. Therefore, having a great idea will certainly attract like-minded people who will assist in bringing that idea into existence.
Fear should not be an excuse to not taking that first bold step, as taking that first step is pivotal to achieving whatever laid out goals you hope to achieve. Once you take that first step, you overcome fear, and the desire to actualize that goal becomes imminent and eminent.
Notable and remarkable personalities who rose to utmost heights in various walks of life did not neglect taking that first bold step. For instance, when delving into any viable business, it’s not all about having the capital to start up that business, it could just be about taking that bold step to start up that business; that bold step may mean doing a one-on-one advert about your goods, products or/and services, rendering free services to people for one month, or searching for a favorable location for your business. It could as well be in your education, many people find taking courses with longer year-duration stressful, hence, opt for those with a shorter duration. However, it’s important you go for what you want even if that course has a longer duration, because to get that degree, you have to start from somewhere. Don’t feel that being in school for long is a waste of time, as the knowledge garnered through school is more than enough to take you to utmost heights in life. Whatever goal, aspiration you want to achieve in life, taking the first bold step is very crucial.
How many people can boldly declare the words of Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo!, “I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there is that moment of ‘Wow’, I’m not really sure I can do this’, and you push through these moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough”. In the same light, Marilyn Hewson, president and CEO of Lockheed Martin once said; “…you can do anything if you put your mind to it, you work hard and take that responsibility”. Therefore, taking that first bold step is a decision you have to make, as well as one you won’t regret making.
In taking that bold step in whatever ‘journey’ of life you may be embarking on, there are crucial points to guide you in this.
GO BIG: – Do not settle for less, build a driving force that goes for the best. Remarkable people dream big, and they refuse to settle for excuses, they do not settle for mediocrity or unintentionality. They stand up, take that first bold step, step up and get moving towards achieving their goals in life.
DECLARE YOUR DREAMS: – There is a significant power in bold declarations. Speaking your hopes and dreams moves you into a physical world where you begin to work towards achieving your goals, which results in increased accountability. Sharing your dreams often brings the motivation to begin taking action. An imperfect action is always better that an inaction.
USE YOUR TALENTS: – Every individual is beautifully and wonderfully made with gifts, talents and potentials. Remarkable people believe this to be true of themselves and others; and when they do, they find great joy and peace in the lives they have been given and work to develop their talents, as well as look for opportunities to make the most of them.
Also, those who achieve success in life are not those who recognize the fact that they have talents and natural endowments, but those who make the best use of these talents deposited in them by God.
SPEAK OUT: – We all have distinctive voices. Successful people do not ‘mimic’ the voices of others, rather they speak their voices so as to be heard. They find their voices, embrace it, and use it for good inspirations.
Furthermore, the inspiration you need to take that first bold step may just be your own voice telling you to move on, and forge ahead.
IDENTIFY LIFESTYLE DRIFT AND REALIGN: – Unintentionality will always derail a remarkable life. The world is full of distractions, hence, those who do not take the time to align their lives with the greatest purpose will never fully realize it. Instead, their lives drift into mediocrity. People who live remarkably routinely check their momentum and motivation- keeping both in check.
CHOOSE THE PATH OF GREATEST CONTRIBUTION: – Most people choose the easy route- the path of lead resistance, which of course leads to no remarkable place or destination. However, extraordinary people choose a different path; though that pathway may be tough, it requires hardwork and dedication to scale through and these sets of people are up to the task, they are propelled by their desire to achieve their set goals and make positive impacts and contributions in life.
AVOID DISTRACTIONS: – When you want to take that first step in anything you want to achieve, various forms of distractions may come your way. However, it’s very important you avoid these distractions as failure to do so may deter you from taking that first bold step, hence unable to achieve your set goal(s)
BE BOTHERED: – Being bothered about various social menace and misdemeanor plaguing the country may serve as a basis of a goal needed to be achieved, and hence, working towards eliminating these menace, or at least, reducing them to the barest minimum.
DARE TO ATTEMPT: – Attempt to take that bold step in everything you aim to achieve in life. Remarkable lives are accomplished by those who dare to attempt regardless of the outcome, and even when they fail in their attempts, they dare to attempt again.
DO THE WORK: – Being an achiever in life takes adequate efforts and hardwork. It requires a conscious decision to consume less and work more. Those who want to create something spectacular spend their precious time working hard and contributing their own quota to the world around them. They are those who create a pathway where others feel there is no way, they are those who are bold enough to take the first step and achieve a feat.
NEVER GIVE UP YOUR POWER OF CHOICE: – The only people who can change the world are those who have made the choice to, and ensure that that choice is brought into existence. The power of choice can never be taken away from you. You may not be able to change that circumstance, but you can always choose your response to it. Always retain the power of choice, and learn to choose wisely.
In addition, taking that first bold step is a crucial decision you have to make and not making that choice result in not achieving anything.
DO SOMETHING NEW: – There is no crime in being the first to do something new, particularly if it’s a positive contribution. In fact, it is an achievement, as the world celebrates those who come up with new and creative inventions and innovations.
“Every ending has a beginning”, likewise “every journey has a starting point”. Your getting to your destination solely depends on your decision to take that first bold step. Therefore, do not let any person, thing or circumstance deter you from taking that first bold step in actualizing your goals in life, as the world celebrates only those who are bold enough to reach forward to fulfilling their dreams by taking the first step. Take that first step now so as to get to your destination in life, and achieve your set goals in life.