Episode 4 of The Practicing Mind Podcast is all about the 4 "S" words and how to achieve any goal you set your mind too using these 4 words simplify, small, short, and slow. We have a tendency to look at a task that we have to accomplish, a skill that we need to build or a goal that we set from the perspective of its entirety. In The Practicing Mind I gave an example of having to clean the garage. In your mind it’s easy to see this task from the perspective of not only the physical labor involved but all the decisions that are going to have to be made. Should I keep this, should I keep that, will I ever need this again, is it a mistake to get rid of it etc. The magnitude of work can feel overwhelming and easily push you in the direction of procrastination. But if you simplify the task by looking at just one small area of the garage perhaps a corner and say to yourself today I am only going to focus on this corner, the amount of effort you need to expend seems much more inviting. Now…You have to give yourself permission to ignore the rest of the garage and look at the cleaning and organizing as a process. Remember what we’re aiming for is present moment functioning. We want to be absorbed in the present moment, in the process of what we’re doing right here and right now. If we can achieve that, our interpretation and so the experience of the situation changes. The goal is easily accomplished because we have not overloaded our self with too much to do in too little time. Listen to the full episode to hear how to apply all 4 "S " words to your life starting today. Please send in your questions on something we haven’t yet covered or an aspect of something that was covered in a previous episode that you want to learn more about. Feel free to email your questions & comments to me at asktom@tomsterner.com. Now sit back, and enjoy episode 4 of The Practicing Mind Podcast!