Do Something Daily: 5 Benefits of Daily Action

The nation where I live began as a notion that people should not have their lives determined by birth, but rather by their talents and efforts. It was a great notion and still is.

Despite its shortcomings, the United States remains a place where the poor can become rich, the unknown can become well known, and the weak can become powerful. But they seldom do so quickly.

Over Time (Not Overnight) Success Stories

Stories of overnight success are largely inaccurate. When people tell such stories, they edit out the boring stuff like the years invested in honing a craft, nurturing ideas, laboring to turn visions into realities, and knocking on countless unopened doors.

The untold story of the big finish is the small beginning.

Whether you know precisely what you want to accomplish or haven’t a clue, and whether your dream is complicated and enormous or simple and small, things will begin the same way – with the first small step.

The Necessity of Persistent Action

The notion that launched a nation, that we’re all created equal, could not have been realized without action. And should we choose to neglect it, it will simply fade away. Without diligence, the Constitution is just a nice idea.

It’s the same for your dreams. If you want a life of meaning, a creative life, one of quiet inspiration, then one day you’ll have to show up and start doing something. And you’ll have to stick with it.

Doing something daily is all about making a promise to yourself and keeping that promise on a regular basis.

If that makes you nervous, it shouldn’t. It doesn’t take a big leap to begin. The smallest move forward is still a beginning, and a collection of small movements compiled on a daily basis has enormous power over time. And here’s why:

The Benefits of Daily Action

1. It develops trust.

This may be the most important benefit of the practice. You’re basically making a daily appointment with yourself, and, as the number of days on which you arrive for that appointment begin to add up, you begin to realize you can be counted on. You’re going to show up and be there for yourself. You can be trusted.

2. It instills confidence.

Once you begin to trust yourself, you realize you’re not going to run away when things get tough. Doing something daily teaches you how to keep a commitment. Knowing that you have this ability instills confidence.

The question isn’t whether you have the ability or the talent. It’s whether you have the patience and persistence to develop those things. By doing something daily, you demonstrate that you do, and this grows your confidence.

One day, you realize you have a heart and mind that could take on almost any challenge you choose, as long as you truly desire it.

3. It builds momentum.

When you do something daily, one day leads to the next and one thing leads to another. Something begins to build in you. Each day, you’re doing a little more, producing a little more, learning a little more. The accomplishments of days past propel you forward and the promises of the days ahead pull you along.

You find yourself gaining speed without having to struggle as much. You’re somehow trying less and accomplishing more.

4. It establishes rhythm.

When you show up and do your work every day, your heart and mind get used to the idea. What once felt awkward now feels natural. “Oh,” you might say to yourself, “It’s that time again. Okay.”

Your something daily becomes a habit and an established part of your daily routine, much like eating breakfast and brushing your teeth. It’s just something you do. It’s a part of you.

5. It creates opportunities.

Do something daily, and it will take up residence in your mind. The things that you’re working on will permeate your thoughts. They might even shove aside some of the less important things you might spend your time dwelling on.

Whatever it is you choose to do, do it and do it daily and you’ll find yourself thinking about it, wondering about it, dreaming about it. From all of that will come ideas. Some of those ideas will become plans. Some of those plans will become actions. Some of those actions will bring results.

In short, your little daily something will create opportunities for you to expand and grow and learn. And as they say in the song about the Hokey Pokey, that’s what it’s all about.

Changing Your Life a Day at a Time

Doing something daily can change your life, not in a flash or with a bang and certainly not overnight, but slowly and steadily over time. This way, you won’t be ahead of yourself or lagging behind. You’ll be right on time.

I hope I’ve convinced you of the grace and power of this small practice. If so, let’s take some time to find something for you to do and get you started.

We’ll do that in the next post.

Here’s Something to Do Today

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