How do you take down a 100 foot tree without crashing into someone’s house? Especially my house? One little piece at a time it seems. I’m watching a crew from a tree removal company take down a tree across the street from me. What an amazing process. I can see about 5 guys, 4 on the ground and one about 60 feet up at the moment. They started at the bottom cutting one branch at a time, each branch tied to a rope so it would fall down gradually. The huge top piece just came down but it wasn’t a big deal because all the branches below it were gone. All those branches…they’ve already sawdust, ready for the next life this tree must lead. All of this has happened in less than 30 minutes, one little step at a time. I hate to see a tree go but there must have been a reason for it. For me it’s a reminder that even the biggest jobs, the most outrageous sounding goals can all be broken down into little steps. We don’t have to be overwhelmed by the sheer immensity. We just have to take a baby step and proceed. Amazing things happen when we do.
Had another lesson today about how important the little things are. I’m now acting in a show that I helped write called “High School BULLY”. We (me and 6 very talented young actors) did 2 shows today in Canton, MA for the freshmen and sophomore classes. I took a few minutes as the students were walking in and again when they were leaving to say hello, thank them and just let them know that we were glad to be with them today. It was a little thing but I think an important one. How many teens go through the day with no one even noticing them? I always did this as a classroom teacher and I think it mattered to my students. I know it mattered to me because I wanted them to know I cared about them as people, not just students.
What little thing can you do that will make a big difference today? Who can you connect with…in person or even with technology if that’s all that will work for you. Who can you tell you care? It’s a little thing but those little things seem to be the true secrets of success.
I hope you have a wonderful day!
