Small Steps to Big Results

Over the past few years, my eldest child has begun to venture into organized sports. And other than soccer, I have tried to coach each one of his teams.

It’s been a very long time since I participated in athletic endeavors. Much like my son, I started at the YMCA. And participated in many of the same sports: soccer, T-ball/baseball, basketball, etc. What I’d forgotten is where everybody starts out in their development.

I was very lucky. Athletic efforts came very easily to me. And I am not one of those parents who pushes their kids to be great at whatever sport they’re playing. I’m a little bit of the opposite, to be candid. However, I do believe in doing your very best.

My son’s experience has been a great reminder for me about how important it is to set small, achievable goals that get you to the bigger accomplishments. Case in point. My son is learning how to throw a baseball. That is, to throw it correctly. While I started with him with the concept of “just throw it,” because it came easy to me and still is, what I realized is I needed to break it down so that he could build confidence---with the idea of the simplicity of tossing a ball from the pitcher’s mound to first base. Once we broke the throwing process down into three or four steps (basic drills/activity), he progressed quickly.   And it was amazing when that first ground ball came to him and he picked it up, then threw it to first base.  What followed was an enormous smile and a thumbs up to me, as his father and coach. A great moment for us both.

It’s a good reminder - sometimes we see the end result of what we want but failed to build in steps, and smaller goals, that allow us to get there. The old adage, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time,” applies here.