The Little Things are Everything
A big life doesn’t come from nothing. Your life experience is the culmination of little things.
There are two interpretations of “the little things.” First are the things that create larger outcomes: like tasks and habit-building. The other is pleasurable moments, expected and unexpected. Both are important and both are meant to be appreciated and acknowledged.
The little things are everything because the present moment is all we have.
The Little Things as Habit-Builders
There is a self-help book called The Slight Edge. The essence of the book is that sometimes people reach a level of success they are comfortable with then stop, or drastically reduce, their actions, which reverses their progress. The slight edge is continuing to do the things that made you successful in the first place.
This concept can be applied to any goal: losing weight, getting good grades, or becoming a champion in your sport. But, consistency is hard. This is why some people struggle with keeping weight off; this is why a break from shooting pool can put you on the struggle bus while you find your stroke.
The best pool players in the world are the ones who practice the most. To be successful and obtain lasting success, you must keep doing the little things that got you there.
Now, let’s define success.
I’m not one to promote hustle culture or that you can never rest. I’m strongly opposed to that.
What I do believe is that success should be self-defined. I recently found a measure of success that resonates with me by Tara-Nichole Kirke: “I deeply know and deeply love my true sacred self. I create a life that is congruent with my true sacred self.”
Don’t go after the top of the career ladder if that’s not what speaks to your true sacred self.
Whatever your little things are, they become big things, big wins, big life-changers when practiced consistently. When you move to a new level, your little things may evolve. If you want to keep moving upward, accept each level boost and the little things it expects of you to maintain the increase.
Celebrate Yourself
Sometimes in the middle of your journey, you might lose sight of what you’re working on and why. I want all the results and wins all at once but life doesn’t work like that. Sometimes, I feel lost in the present moment.
This is why it’s important to acknowledge the small things and celebrate milestones. It’s ok to take baby steps. Make small commitments to shape the bigger picture. Break big goals into smaller attainable ones.
Celebrating can build confidence, inspire perseverance, and integrate those successful moments into your psyche. Appreciate the great shots you made even if you didn’t win the game or match. Find gems in the disappointments.
If you look for ways to discredit yourself or your success, please stop. Make note of the way you can improve but don’t let those things overshadow what went well.
The Little Things as Pleasurable Moments
Pleasurable moments are subjective and don’t require explanation. A little bit of human connection and nourishment each day makes a good day, and over time, a good life. Here are a few things that I find pleasurable.
Inside jokes
A hug just when I need it
My favorite food
A snuggle from my cat
A compliment from a stranger
Encouragement from my grandfather
In 2023, I built a daily habit of appreciating pleasurable moments and I plan to continue this practice for the rest of my life.
Every day, I track moments of joy, success, and the coping skills I use in a dedicated journal. It didn’t take long to look forward to doing it. Tracking joy helps me feel grateful, while successes (no matter how trivial they may be) help me feel productive, and my coping skills have increased.
After one year of logging all these little things, I’m more resilient and it’s easier to notice goodness when it appears.
Appreciation for the little things creates a rich life.
There is a Zen saying “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.”
I found a lot of different interpretations of this quote online. To me, it’s advising you to do your everyday tasks with an enlightened mind. You should treat the habitual little things the same way you treat the pleasurable moments.
You are building something worthwhile, aren’t you? If not, why are you doing it? Is your process enjoyable? Can you make it enjoyable if it isn’t?
If your “why” is strong enough, creating structure for your growth should motivate you and enrich you, not cause dread.
One of the key concepts in Pleasures of Small Motions is that we must have multiple motivations for shooting pool to stay satisfied for the long haul.
Find clarity about what you truly want and why. Be patient while you take the steps. Track your progress and take time for frequent reflection.
“Get the little things right and the big things will work themselves out.” — Mel Robbins
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Pocket Watch: A blog to share the lessons learned about the mental game of pool and billiards written by a competitive pool player on her road to pro. (#05)
