“The great French Marshall Lyautey once asked his gardener to plant a tree. The gardener objected that the tree was slow growing and would not reach maturity for 100 years. The Marshall replied, ‘In that case, there is no time to lose; plant it this afternoon!'” John F. Kennedy

How often do we put off taking the first steps because the desired outcome may take months or years? It can be discouraging knowing we may not see the end result for a while, but that does not mean growth and change is not happening in that time, and we can enjoy and benefit from the process and not just the end result. If it’s going to take 3, 5, or 10 years to achieve your goal, why wait? Time is going to go by whether you start acting on it or not, so why not start right now?! Still not motivated or confused where to start? Enlist a friend to join you, which research shows helps maintain momentum, or utilize a professional to design a plan with you. Long-term goals can feel overwhelming, so just focus on the  “start” and do something small to “plant your tree” this afternoon!