"Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little."
~ Edmund Burke

"Inches make a champion."
~ Vince Lombardi

During an NFL match up, one of the announcers observed that the favored team's quarterback had been guilty of trying to do too much on the field. Apparently linemen, receivers, and running backs had not been pulling their weight last season, and the quarterback was feeling all of the pressure to produce a winning performance for the team.

What changes did the coaching staff make? For one, they brought in players who could run the ball better and more often, relieving their offensive leader of having to throw so many passes. With other players stepping up their performances, the quarterback didn't feel so much pressure, and his completion percentage went way up.

It's a classic case of "less is more." When the pressure is released and we feel that we don't have to do so much, we actually feel free to do more! We learn to share the responsibility with those who are there to support us when we let go of our "universe will end if I don't make this work" mentality.

By asking others to step up and share responsibility, we become more successful. It should never be up to one person to make the project work, although having a leader helps keep everything organized and focused.

The leader understands that success is not all about leaps and bounds. It's about each individual taking the right small steps that will carry everyone forward. Louis L'Amour wrote that "Victory is won not in miles, but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later win a little more."

Don't make the mistake of doing nothing because you think you can only do a little. On the flip side, don't try to do everything because you feel you must. Sometimes doing less will allow you to do even more.

Gail Gladstone, Long Island Realtor