The Most Difficult Step

In my continuing series from our off-season beach vacation ….


It was my fourth day on the balcony. My fourth sunrise.

I had promised myself before this trip that I would get up and see the sunrise every morning. This is an easy “promise” to make when you know you’ll have an oceanfront view.

When was it the most difficult to keep the promise?

When it was time to roll out of bed and put my feet on the floor. It was the most difficult when it was time to get up and do the thing I promised myself I would do.

In order to accomplish this, I had to think not in the moment but further out in the day, the week, even as far out as when I was back home. Because it was then that I would be disappointed if I hadn’t stuck to my plan. It was then that I would be regretfully telling myself, “Next time.”

In order to not experience the regret and disappointment, I had to “do the thing” not when it was easy, but when it was the most difficult.

It’s easy to set plans and make promises before it’s time to engage in the behavior we lay out for ourselves. We get to reap the rewards after we keep to our plans.

But it is in the moment that it’s most difficult to do, that we must do the thing we’ve promised.

One thing I’ve found to be helpful is asking myself the question, “What will I miss if I don’t take this step?” For example, quiet morning time, journal writing, prayer, and the all-important warm cup of coffee are all big motivators for me. I know I will miss them if I don’t do them. So, I thought about those things in addition to the sunrise promise I made. And put my feet on the floor.

Lay out your plans. Give yourself bonuses along the way. And take your next difficult step.

Even if it means rolling out of a warm, comfortable bed to head to a cold balcony.

Remember there’s hot coffee on the way.