"To Begin Is To Win"

Cornell McClellan is the "First Trainer." Or should I say he's the fitness trainer to the Obamas. He gave some solid advice about exercising and fitness in a recent Sunday newspaper magazine article. The most powerful part to me was the phrase "To Begin Is To Win." As he shares in the story, "Most of the roadblocks to physical fitness and longevity are mental. Once you make the decision to get healthy, the battle is over."

I recognize the power of his phrase each day I go running. Even though I am an avid runner, and run a few half-marathons a year, It's the first quarter mile that's the toughest. My breathing is labored and I almost tell myself I just can't do it today. But, if I hold on until the first turn, it seems like everything begins working toward success and I never look back. I see a similar dilemma in writing. The first sentence is the hardest. Once finished, however, it flows into a paragraph and then a paragraph becomes a page.

What do you need to "begin" today? If not a more healthy lifestyle regimen, maybe it's a better way of doing your job or improving your relationship with a co worker. Make one step in the right direction, and Cornell McClellan says you are on your way to success.