A simple statement but something we rarely take to heart, because it requires us to think ahead and be proactive instead of the default reactive state we find ourselves in more often than not.
For those of us that perform ritual in our Lodge Rooms we all know that we should learn just a little bit each day. We should take the time to read and understand a given phrase or section while we commit it to memory. It's rarely the case though, and I'm guilty of it as well, the "oh no" moment when you realize that tomorrow night is the degree so you stay up all night working on it and give the "best" you can.
Sound familiar?
How many of us have crammed for that test at the last minute?
How many wait until the night before the report or presentation is due to start?
We often speak of improving ourselves so that we can leave our rough ashlar state behind and become that perfect ashlar we all hope to be at the end of the journey - can you do that overnight? I know that I can't.
We seem to ignore the fact that all those little steps we take eventually add up to large improvements. Just a few minutes of dedicated time everyday will compound over time. You can learn just about anything but taking it just one step at a time and giving yourself permission to take it slow. You can also change who you are by just working on one aspect of your life at a time and making those changes a habit, a few minutes at a time.
So the next time you see something that looks like Mt Everest to you, remember, you don't need to take it on all at once. It takes just a single step, a single sentence, or just a couple of chips off the ashlar a day to make real progress over time.