this wasn't in the plan |but life is still pretty good

I remember watching Monkey climb up our stairs for the first time.  When he reached the top, he had the biggest smile I'd ever seen across his face.  He was so pleased with himself.  I remember thinking how such a small thing for me was such a huge accomplishment for him.

Too often, it seems like the small goals are overlooked.  People would rather just reach for the stars when really reaching for the roof first would be beneficial.  The small goals take us there, though.  Cutting a few dollars a week from your grocery bill or going to sleep just a few minutes earlier each night might be small things (and perhaps laughable to others), but they can make a huge difference in the long run.  After all, you can't very easily make it to the top of the staircase if there are no steps in between.

Keep in mind the small steps you can take to reach your bigger goals.  If nothing else, achieving these smaller goals can make you happy, which can go a long way towards helping you reach your bigger goals.