‘Watch your way then, as a cautious traveler; and don’t be gazing at that mountain or river in the distance, and saying, ‘How shall I ever get over them?’ But keep to the present little inch that is before you, and accomplish that in the little moment that belongs to it. The mountain and the river can only be passed in the same way: and, when you come to them, you will come to the light and strength that belong to them.” M.A. Kelty

I’ve no idea who M.A. Kelty is, but I’m thankful for these words of inspiration and advice. They remind me that big goals are achieved one inch, one step at a time — one word, one sentence, one page at a time.

So often a writing goal we’ve set for ourselves seems like a mountain to climb, doesn’t it? Or we find ourselves stuck, looking over a river that seems impossible to cross. How can we get from where we are to where we need to be? M. A. Kelty shows us the way:

Don’t gaze at your goal: Daydreaming and fantasizing about what you want to do, won’t get you where you want to go — it will only distract and even deplete you.

Stay in the moment: “Keep to the present little inch that is before you. Just do the work at hand — do the work that’s called for in the moment. Focus your energies and intention on what’s right in front of you, what needs to be done right now.

Have faith in your inner resources: Know that if you keep working steadily, day by day, inch by inch, stringing all your “little moments” together, then at some point, you’ll reach the mountain and the river — your ultimate destination. And when you do, you will find “the light and strength that belong to them,” and arrive where you want to go.

So let’s honor the “present little inch” that lies before us today and use the present little moment that belongs to it to make progress and move closer to our goals. Write on!