Small Steps
We are constantly bombarded with messages about what it means to be successful. So let me be transparent: this is one of them. We often focus on the moment when people hit that tipping point — when they reach a goal and success finally arrives. What we don’t notice are the many small steps taken before that moment: the early routines, the mistakes, the tiny improvements, the countless hours and late nights spent refining a craft, a body, or a business. Instead, we usually only see the polished end result.
Malcolm Gladwell, author of the popular book Outliers, wrote that it takes roughly 10,000 hours to become an expert in anything. He argued that 10,000 hours of focused, “deliberate practice” are generally needed to reach a world-class level in any field. For a bodybuilder, achieving an elite natural physique and maximizing muscle potential typically takes more than five years of consistent, targeted training and disciplined nutrition.
I have worked approximately 25,000-plus hours in the hotel and theme park event industry, which effectively places me among the experts in event operations. In the world of art I haven’t yet reached that 10,000-hour expert plateau, but I continue taking steady, deliberate steps toward that goal, learning and growing with each project.
I’ve learned throughout my careers — and I say careers because there have been a few: corporate leadership, education, behavior therapy, and abstract art — that small, intentional steps are the key to growth. When we look at areas of opportunity, we can feel overwhelmed by the size of the work needed to chip away and reveal what lies beneath the surface. Taking steady, manageable actions makes progress feel possible and sustainable.
When your brain is flooded with dopamine, the chemical often called the "feel-good" hormone or "pleasure chemical," you naturally want more of that rewarding sensation. However, when you try to make changes, your brain may revert to self-preserving patterns or identity-protective cognition that resist those adjustments. Change is valuable when it leads to growth, so don’t be afraid to embrace it. Every experience brings some form of change; when your brain recognizes a pattern that reliably produces growth or happiness and you push through the defensive self-preservation mechanisms it activates, you elevate your mind and broaden your perspective to a higher level.
Here are 5 powerful takeaways
1. Success Is Built in the Unseen Moments
Most people only notice the “arrival” of success—but real growth happens in the quiet, unseen work: early mornings, late nights, mistakes, and repetition. The process matters more than the spotlight moment.
2. Mastery Requires Time and Deliberate Practice
The 10,000-hour rule highlights that expertise isn’t accidental—it’s earned through focused, intentional effort over time. Consistency beats talent when applied long enough.
3. Small Steps Create Sustainable Growth
Big goals can feel overwhelming, but breaking them down into manageable, consistent actions makes progress achievable. Growth is not explosive—it’s cumulative.
4. Your Brain Will Resist Change—Push Anyway
Your mind is wired to protect your current identity and comfort zone. Even positive change can feel uncomfortable. Growth requires pushing through that resistance.
5. Growth Comes From Embracing the Process, Not Chasing the Outcome
Every experience—across careers, skills, and passions—adds layers to your development. When you commit to continuous improvement instead of instant results, you elevate both your mindset and your potential.
