One tooth. This was the answer I had been searching for. Once I committed to flossing just one tooth, I started flossing all of my teeth and I finally conquered a long-term battle with this ritual.

If you find yourself procrastinating (spoiler alert: you will, like every other human), you may be waiting for inspiration or an extra burst of energy.

Instead, find small wins — the kind that are so small you can’t fail. Small wins can give you the push you need to quickly break through. Small wins are the perfect complement to your bold goals.

This is an excerpt from Younger Self Letters: How Successful Leaders & Entrepreneurs Turned Trials into Triumph. See below for more on this project.

Progress is a powerful, yet underestimated, source of motivation. Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer, authors of The Progress Principle have found: “Of all the things that can boost emotions, motivation, and perceptions during a workday, the single most important is making progress in meaningful work.”

Don’t wait for motivation to get started. Motivation, like willpower, is a fickle aide. Sometimes it shows up; other times it slacks off. Instead, get started and your inspiration will catch up.

Progress is the fuel for feel-good emotions. When you take tiny steps towards goals that are meaningful to you, you build momentum.

You don’t have to have it all figured out to get started. Instead, focus on taking your next right step. And then another.

What will be your small step today? Please share with us in the comments.

Ultimately, the secret to getting ahead is getting started. This is what truly drives motivation and empowers us to achieve our best.

Start today. Start now. Just start.

Related:
3 ways to work with purpose and achieve your best
The productivity superpower you can use to own your time

In Younger Self Letters: How Successful Leaders & Entrepreneurs Turned Trials into Triumph (and How to Use Them to Your Advantage), my co-authors and I share personal stories about how to transform the obstacles we all face into opportunities. Look for my letter in Chapter 8. It’s a Top 10 list of some life lessons I wish I learned earlier. I spoke from my heart, and I’d love to know what you think. You can pick up this new summer bestseller here.