To get to any destination, you must first start making progress toward that goal. Sounds simple enough. However, too many of us don’t head in the direction we want to go because we see the chasm that lies between here and there and think that we somehow must get there in a single giant leap. Instead, we should be considering ways that we can get where we want to be by making a series of baby steps in the right direction. Taking small, well-planned, and thought-out steps to achieve our end goals allows us a great deal of flexibility. With baby steps:

• You can easily and quickly make course corrections if you feel you have strayed from the path.
• You can mark your successes frequently and clearly with each new step.

Where your ultimate goal may seem unrealistic or even impossible because it feels so distant, the process becomes a series of intermediate objectives that are much more attainable
There is less fear of the unknown because you are much closer to the next milestone along the way
You can spot potential barriers and pitfalls more readily along the way and develop strategies to overcome them rather than being tripped up
You can use this same strategy when thinking about and devising a career plan for yourself. You don’t need to get caught up in worrying about how you will achieve your long-term overall goal all at once.

By sitting down and mapping out a strategy, you can create a plan that takes you through a series of growth and learning opportunities that, when brought together, will lead you to the personal and professional life you envision.