It was a huge leap of faith purchasing my RV. But I didn’t expect the sudden change in how people perceived me. My identity suddenly became “that RV guy“; it’s how my friends introduced me. I was expected to be this courageous, adventurous guy who fearlessly had crossed the country.
When I got the RV though, it was a foregone conclusion I was going to travel cross country. It was just a matter of time. I didn’t really have a choice in the matter anymore. And once I was thousands of miles away from home, the momentum to just keep going was natural.
I consider buying the RV and traveling cross country an easy, one leap win. It did require an initial leap of faith, but it required no effort afterward. Traveling isn’t hard. Anyone can do it eventually, and it’s easy once you start.
It’s funny that we celebrate these easy, giant leap wins like buying a RV, traveling abroad, or quitting your job. Once you get past the fear though and take the plunge, you’re done. You’ve won.
Yet, the hardest and biggest wins are the ones that you can’t leap, and you get no reward for starting. In fact, you usually feel pain, frustration, and confusion when you begin. I’m talking about projects like learning a new language, starting a business, changing your diet, or starting to exercise. You must do consistent, small steps everyday to accomplish these huge, difficult wins.
But maybe the opposite perspective is the right one. Those giant leaps are possible only because of the countless small steps taken before. I was only able to buy & travel in the RV after saving up a ton of money and doing a crazy amount of research and work.
The bulk of our time and thereby future success lies in those daily small tasks. Picking up that phone to make a sales call. Going to the gym again. Not eating that chocolate cake. We should admire and celebrate those small successes everyday too.
By the time Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, his giant leap for mankind was the reward, the fruit of a decade of development by countless people.