You don't have to be a savvy business person to know that anything you want to learn about negotiation can be learned from a two-year old. I had the great fortune of spending the weekend with Sydney, our friend's two-year old and learned a lot.

Instead, Sydney set her sights on what she wanted and went after it. She quite literally took baby steps to get Oreo's attention. She spotted him across the room and somehow knew that if she rushed him he would have leaped away.

How did she know this? The intuition of a two-year old! Sadly the gift of intuition we are born with is stomped upon enough in our earlier years that we lose faith in it.

Sydney did not doubt herself for a second. We chuckled at the power of her baby steps. Itsy, bitsy little half foot steps taken to get what she wanted. She maintained absolute focus. No one could have dissuaded her. And it worked.

Oreo rolled over, proudly displaying his stretched out stomach to her sheer joy. They played for the remainder of the weekend.

It's too easy to forget the power of baby steps in this insanely busy world. Sure, we advise others: 'take baby steps!' Yet in reality our vision becomes blurred with 'what ifs', instead of strategy, patience and focus.

New clients often confess that taking baby steps is not their strong suit. They dive in, oftentimes with less than desirable results. Sydney teaches us that patience is sometimes the only strategy to attain our goal.

With Oreo, no other strategy would have worked. Sydney could have ranted and raved all weekend long, never capturing his interest. Did she rant and rave over the weekend? You bet, when she knew that was the appropriate strategy to attain her goal.

In what area of life will baby steps be the best strategy for you this week? Have a fabulous week and enjoy your discoveries!

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Permission is granted to either reproduce copy or distribute "A Thought for the Week of February 16, 2005" so long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the author is attached. The author is Ann Golden Eglé, Golden Visions Success Coaching, LLC, 541.385.8887, 1972 NE 3rd St, Suite # 307 Bend, Oregon 97701, www.GVSuccess.com