Small Steps Lead to Big Success

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” — Robert Collier

When we started Courage to Caregivers nearly ten years ago, I certainly didn't have a perfect plan. I had a problem I wanted to solve, a few ideas about how we might solve it, and a willingness to start.

Looking back, I think that may have been one of the most important lessons I learned as a founder: We didn't need to have everything figured out to move forward.

We started with three pilot programs. We listened. We learned. Some ideas worked. Others changed. New needs emerged that we couldn't have anticipated. The pandemic changed how—and where—we delivered support. Over time, small steps became programs, partnerships, communities, and thousands of moments of connection with caregivers.

None of it happened all at once.

And really, isn't caregiving much the same?

We can put enormous pressure on ourselves to get it right—to make the right decision, find the right resource, say the right thing, anticipate the next crisis, and somehow keep everything else moving, too. But perfection is an impossible standard, especially when so much of caregiving is outside our control.

Progress asks something different of us.

It asks: What can I do today? What have I learned? What's the next small step?

As I prepare to pass leadership of Courage to Caregivers to Angel, I'm reminded that progress also means being willing to let something continue to grow beyond you. The organization doesn't need to remain exactly as I built it to remain true to why we built it. Our roots—our mission, values, and commitment to caregivers—remain strong. And from those roots, there is so much more room to grow.

Maybe that's another lesson progress has taught me: We don't honor what we've built by keeping it exactly the same. We honor it by giving it room to become what comes next.

THREE TOOLS TO PRACTICE PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION:

1. DEFINE YOUR “GOOD ENOUGH”

Before starting something, ask: What does good enough look like here?

Not every caregiving task deserves 100% of our energy. Some things need our full attention, while others simply need to get done. Giving ourselves permission to distinguish between the two helps us prioritize what matters most and protect our limited capacity.

2. MEASURE THE GAIN, NOT JUST THE GAP

It's easy to focus on how far we still have to go. Instead, pause occasionally and look backward.

Ask: What can I handle today that felt harder three months ago? What have I learned? What has improved—even slightly?

When we're always looking toward the next problem, appointment, milestone, or challenge, we can miss the evidence that we're growing along the way. Sometimes progress becomes visible only when we turn around and see how far we've already come.

3. MAKE THE NEXT STEP SMALLER

When something feels overwhelming, shrink the goal.

Instead of “I need to get everything organized,” try “I'll make one phone call.”

Instead of “I need to take better care of myself,” try “I'll take ten minutes for myself today.”

Small, achievable actions build momentum. And momentum matters. We don't have to see the entire path—or travel it perfectly—to keep moving forward.

After nearly ten years of Courage to Caregivers, I can see the truth in Robert Collier's words more clearly than ever. Success hasn't been one big moment. It has been thousands of small efforts, repeated day in and day out, by staff, volunteers, partners, supporters—and caregivers themselves.

Small steps matter. Progress matters. And sometimes, what we build one imperfect step at a time becomes more than we ever imagined when we took the first step.