So what if, instead of thinking about solving your whole life, you just think about adding additional good things, one at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.
— Rainbow Rowell
In software engineering, there is term known as “yak shaving”. Yak Shaving refers to task, that leads you to another task, and so on and so on, until you no longer have time for the original task. These tasks lead you down the rabbit hole and prevent you from achieving your original goal.
So often in life we can get caught up in yak shaving. In the pursuit of our goals we can easily get side tracked on tasks that originally seem valuable, but really only are yak shaving. We try so hard to find a path that will make our goals a reality that we can become lost along the way.
One way we can prevent yak shaving is by simplifying our approach to life. Instead of letting ourselves get distracted on side tasks, or trying to find silver bullet solutions to our challenges, we can focus on simple good choices. Don’t worry about the 100% best diet plan, rather, choose to eat a healthy lunch. When you are tempted to think about all that you need to do to reach your goals this year, take a step back and focus on what forward steps you need to take today. If you feel overwhelmed by the problems you see in society, reach out with kindness to a neighbor.
The small positive actions we take each day don’t just add up, they compound. Choice by choice and action by action each of us can have a profound effect for good on the world. All we have to do is find that one small step forward now, and take it.
What small steps can you take today to increase the good in your life and the world around you? Take that step now.