“Baby steps. Baby steps.” I can hear Bill Murray’s voice from the comedy, What About Bob?. In the film, Murray plays Bob Wiley, a needy patient of Richard Dreyfuss’s Dr. Leo Martin. Click to see clip.

Goal setting and goal scoring require steps in the right direction. Where do you want to go? Toward God? Toward a family member or friend? Away from a bad habit and toward something helpful, something healthy?

Try baby steps.

I read. A lot. Several books at once. About once a year I tackle something historical. After watching a 60 Minute spot on historian Doris Kearns Goodwin and her Pulitzer Prize winner, Team of Rivals, I ordered three of her books. Three 700-plus pagers. Door stops.

So, how did I get through all three?

Baby steps. I kept one on the kitchen table and read ten minutes here, ten minutes there.

I finished the last one a few weeks ago. I gained great insight into the characters of several great American leaders. This  strengthened my character by challenging me to follow their good examples and showed me some character flaws to avoid. The investment was worth every minute.

If you haven’t looked at your goals since January, take a moment and revisit them.

Why did you make this goal?

What will you gain if you succeed?

What will you lose if you don’t?

What baby step can you take today? Now?

It’s doable. One choice at a time. Baby steps. Consistent movement in the right direction.

Coach your kids in this too. Where do they struggle?

Discipline with homework?

Bible reading and prayer?

Kindness toward a sibling?

Obeying the first time?

1 Timothy 4:7b-8 (NIV) says, “. . . .train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

So whether you are training for a race or simply trying to read your Bible more, take a step, because just taking the step is beneficial.

Goal setting. Baby stepping. Goal Scoring. You can do it. Stick that foot out there and go.

Questions: Tackle the ones above.

Tweetables:

Why did you make this goal? Click To Tweet
What do you gain if you succeed? Click To Tweet
What do you lose if you don’t meet your goal? Click To Tweet
What baby step can you take toward your goal today? Now? Click To Tweet