At 40 degrees we call water cold. At 95 degrees, we call it hot. But it is still water. At 211 degrees it is very hot. But only at 212 degrees does water boil and produce steam. A single degree makes all the difference.

How many people throughout history have stood on the edge of greatness, and called it quits just before taking that final step, not realizing just how close they were to succeeding? How often do we stop just shy of meeting our goals? Sometimes a small push at the end is all we need to succeed. One of my favorite quotes of all time is attributed to George W. Cecil:

“On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of countless millions, who at the dawn of victory paused to rest, and in resting died.”

When your goals seem far out of reach, and the night seems darkest, remember that it is always darkest right before the dawn, and that sometimes, a single degree of effort is all that stands between failure and victory.