Great achievements are the culmination of a series of successful smaller ones. Those achievements are in turn also comprised of even smaller wins. When I change into my running clothes and step out the door, that is an achievement in my goal of going for a run that day. That run is an achievement in my goal of running a marathon’s distance a month. No greater goal is achieved without the success of its components. As intuitive as this is, the psyche has a way for shrouding our aspirations with...

Ever since I stopped working at the glass factory, I have had to make conscious efforts to maintain my physical fitness, which led me to appreciate the physical and health benefits I was receiving from being active daily. While the work was challenging, it was not so strenuous to the point where my body ached and I was left comatose on the couch. It was a medium-intensity activity, but I did it almost every day. The result is that I lost 20 pounds, became stronger, and my endurance dramatically ...