From Rabbi Pliskin's "Consulting the Wise" - Rabbi Yechezkail Levenstein - Ohr Yechezkail, Midos, p.59;
When beginning to work on self-improvement, just try to go against a negative trait in one small way. Any positive change is already a beginning.
When you take that first step and make even a small change for the better, you have already begun transforming your entire makeup. You are taking control of yourself and your behavior.
With persistence, you will go very far toward your ultimate destination.