Learning in Small Steps

Daniel wanted to improve his English, so he bought a thick novel. He promised to read twenty pages every evening. During the first week, he kept his promise. Then work became busy, and he stopped reading altogether.

A friend suggested a smaller goal: read one short passage and explain its main idea in his own words. Daniel thought this sounded too easy. However, he tried it for two weeks. When he had extra energy, he read more. When he was tired, he still completed the short passage.

The smaller goal did not make every text easy. Daniel still met unfamiliar words and difficult sentences. But he became more willing to return the next day. He learned that a useful plan should work on ordinary days, not only on days when he feels highly motivated.