“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”

Zig Ziglar.

I grew up listening to Zig Ziglar’s talks and reading his books. He was so motivating to me. I wrote down this quote many years ago and think about it often.

In his unique way, he emphasized the importance of taking action. If you are going to achieve anything in life, it starts at the beginning. Success comes only with this precursor. It suggests that people often hesitate to pursue their desires, outcomes, or dreams because they feel ill-prepared or ready to be perfect at it. However, the key is we all have to begin somewhere. It sounds so obvious, but it often isn’t. In many ways and aspects of life, we are novices.

If I go back to my training in psychology, this is tied to the concept of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is our belief in our own ability to successfully navigate new situations. We all have questions about whether we have the ability, energy, or even interest to attempt something new. Zig’s quote encourages us to start, no matter our skill level. This is the fundamental first step toward improvement and even mastery. It teaches us that through practice, learning, and perseverance, all of us can develop our skills over time and may even reach levels of greatness.

Even as a teenage boy, it was a motivational reminder that any success I want in life will require initial effort, taking the first step. That step might happen when I have questions about my ability, but it still begins with that first step.