Every new year seems to bring a fiery passion to get organized. Unfortunately, it is not long before the flames are extinguished by the feeling of being overwhelmed, and another person concludes that he is unable to get organized. Sadly, he feels that he is stuck with clutter and habits that don’t serve him for the rest of his life.

It does not have to be this way. I truly believe that everyone can bring more organization into their lives. Often, it’s the methods for how we change that cause the failures in our resolutions. To be successful, you might consider decluttering your thoughts first.

Let go of sabotaging thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts. “I used to believe that I couldn’t get organized, but I am becoming more organized, gradually.” There is a lot of science to support the idea that our thoughts become our actions. If our thoughts focus on failure, then our actions fail. However, to deny what our observations tell us is to fly in the face of reason. Acknowledging a negative thought with the phrase “I used to believe” defuses its power over us.
 
Think small. Goals cannot be accomplished in one giant leap. Philosopher Lao-tzu said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Tiny steps will get you to your goal gradually. Ask yourself what is the smallest change you can take to move toward a goal. Make that tiny change your first step. After achieving the first step, make the next tiny change. Our brains are wired to resist big changes. By taking tiny, seemingly insignificant steps, the resistance to change can be bypassed.

Embrace the journey. Applaud each small step made toward your goal. Remember, our thoughts shape our actions. If we lament what we have not yet done, our thoughts and actions become focused on not accomplishing goals. By focusing our thoughts on our success, we encourage future success. By focusing our thoughts on the actions we’ve taken, we encourage future action.

One of the first steps I take with my clients is to clear off one small, highly visible spot. Letting go of the clutter in one small spot brings the focus of the room to that one clear spot. This is an important shift. Instead of being overwhelmed by a room of energy-sucking clutter, the eye goes right to the clear area. That tiny area of order is the seed for order for the rest of the room. Gradually, we can expand from one clear spot to more clear spots. With each little step of decluttering, more order and confidence emerges.

In an age of instant change, it may seem unproductive to adopt a philosophy of gradual change. However, these three steps—replacing sabotaging thoughts with positive thoughts, thinking small and embracing the journey—are in concert with our neurology. Although gradual, the overall effect of this transformation is profound. It is the small spark that starts a large fire.