“How Do You Eat An Elephant? One Bite at a Time.”

• Starting is by far the hardest part!  It is not the weight of the stones that hinder us from getting started. But it is the act of making the effort of climbing up the hill, reaching down and picking up that very first bolder. As soon as this first piece of rock has been successfully moved, the following seems to become easier at least.

• The overwhelming size of the task  Big projects and challenges are somewhat intimidating, even to the toughest among us - they are by their very nature... “if it was easy, it wouldn’t be much of an accomplishment...”. Moving a mountain seems like such an ambitious endeavor - that most of us (me included) often shy away from it. The amount of the expected effort and the possibility of failure equally contribute to that phenomenon. Try not to get the mountain into your head. As long as you move rock by rock, the mountain WILL follow along with them. 

• Small stones don’t impress anybody. Moving mountains is sexy and impressive. Moving their a lot smaller siblings, will get you a lot less cheering. Yet, as Henry Ford once stated: “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.”

• "Only think about what you are doing RIGHT NOW. Reason: Thinking ahead only distracts you. Thinking of the goal only distracts you. Thinking about anything other than what you are doing at this very moment is just making things harder.”
• Plan of attack: “Turn one paddle - see what happens. Then turn one paddle.”
• Mindset: “Be like a kid jumping over a gap or cliff. No thoughts, just jumping and landing. Full concentration.”
• The bigger picture: “If you’re not living in the now, you’re not living at all!”

Success does NOT only equal money and recognition!  That is simply not true - no matter how often some people may state it. 

• When your last two bosses unite forming their own business and call you to offer you are management position (which you have to decline, knowing that it is not the right path for you)
• When you receive the farewell email from a dear friend and colleague who you once convinced to join the company years ago, telling you that he had a great time and is now leaving as a better professional and wiser person.
• When your brother asks you to spend time with him and his family, just because they enjoy being around you.
• When your girl asks you to help her with a business challenge because “you are the best I know doing this” - as she said.
• When a young colleague asks for your advice on how to handle a difficult situation in the office - just like you addressed your mentors years ago.
• When you suddenly realize that your most important relationships are close and healthy although you have so much going on all the time.
• When you finally reach that goal you have silently and secretly worked for so long - no parade, no posts, no standing ovations, just you, knowing you made it.
• When you notice that hundreds of readers have liked or reposted your Tumblr post from yesterday night - not for the reach or recognition but for the feeling that your thoughts meant something to them.
• When you are able to see your life as a whole (in a rare moment of silence and reflection) and feel pretty happy about it. Falling asleep smiling.

• fulfilling your own expectations (the blueprint of yourself)
• inspiring others or making their days better in some way
• growing as a person, becoming who you always wanted to be
• receiving positive feedback from those around you - be it admiration, respect, applause, consent, or anything of that kind. 
• making a difference in something you truly care about
• ...
• being free, living YOUR life

Simply keep in mind, that success can be achieved in various contexts  and you’ll find it in places you never thought of before!