When you’re walking on ice, every next step counts. You must focus on the ground right in front of you. Where will you tread? Which spot will provide secure footing? Allow your eyes to drift too far ahead, perhaps even marvel at the horizon, and whoops! Here comes the slip. You might not fall, but the message is clear: Let’s take this one step at a time.
Life has more room to gaze into the distance, to make plans and paint a big picture, but day-to-day, it’s much like walking on ice: What most needs your attention is right in front of you. Give it the concentration it deserves, and once you’re standing firm, look for the next place to leave a footprint.
During your 15-minute breakfast, just have breakfast. Don’t break out your calendar or open your inbox. Those can be their own steps, and they’ll offer plenty of ground for you to cover. Half an hour of writing can be half an hour of only writing. Usually, that’s when it’s most effective. Take the day like a frozen lake: step by step, task by task, one tiny but focused push after another.
Every step matters. Try too hard to get ahead, and you’ll only fall behind.