One of the sides to human nature we don’t like to admit is that we tend to gravitate toward taking the easiest course of action, the path of least resistance to get the things we want.
We want to get it in one fell swoop. The efficiency of it is the sexy part – less time, money, energy, resources spent to get what we want.
We’re always looking for that one big move.
And when we think of some ideas for those big moves, we try it a couple of times here and there and always end up discouraged at the results.
What about the opposite though?
Taking small actions consistently?
It makes a WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.
A person who does this, who understands the power of taking small actions consistently and follows through on that, has mastered long term thinking, the setting of believable goals, and understands the power of intangible compounding.
Often it’s the small changes we make in our lives, and the actions we take to support those small changes consistently, that help change our lives forever.
If you alter the sails on a boat just a bit and continue to sail in one direction, YOU WILL END UP IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PLACE IN ONE YEAR.
A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PLACE.
So that’s what we want to do. Just make some tiny changes and back those changes up by taking small actions consistently that support those changes.
So what might those small changes we make in our lives be?
It’s the stuff you hear over and over again.
– Exercise.
– Save 10% of your income off the top.
– Write down your goals daily.
But very few do it consistently because they don’t understand the power of it – of taking these small actions consistently.
When you do it, you know it’s going to take time. You know the effect isn’t going to be immediate so you’re patient. You have the long term view. You’re calm. Relaxed. You know it’s just a matter of time. You’re less anxious. You have less emotion invested. The small actions you take consistently are mechanical. There’s no overthinking. No big emotional waves of trying big things and hoping it all works out and then crashing down emotionally when it doesn’t and taking months to bring yourself back up.
When you’re taking small actions consistently, it’s also a sign you believe you can do it. When the goal is too big, you don’t believe you can do everything you need to so you don’t even bother doing anything. You can’t even begin to think of actions you can take consistently because those action are so huge. They’re too big to do consistently.
When you can think of small actions to take consistently, it’s a sign your goal is within reach enough for you to get it. It makes it that much easier to obtain it. You just have to keep on doing what you’re doing. Save 10% every time you get paid and you WILL get x amount at the end of the year. It’s a done deal.
Now try tripling that X amount – can you think of any consistent actions to take that are small to reach it? Probably not so you won’t do it.
And when you take small actions consistently – you EXPERIENCE the power of intangible compounding.
We know what it means to compound financially but what I mean by intangible compounding is when you take small actions consistently – you compound on DISCIPLINE. ENERGY. CONFIDENCE. SUCCESS.
And when you compound on that, it all carriers over into other areas of your life.
If you find yourself disciplined in saving 10% and exercising, pretty soon you’re going to find yourself disciplined in eating right. In keeping your house in order. In being punctual instead of late all the time.
You find yourself with more energy because you’ve been working out consistently so it’s easier for you to do more to move faster toward your other goals.
You gain confidence when you see that you can follow through, so it gives you the courage to try new things that you never would’ve in the past.
I can’t even begin to scratch the surface on how doing this, of taking small actions consistently and having the intangibles compound begins to permeate all the other areas of your life in ways you won’t even realize.
It will bring every area of your life to the next level.
YOU GET NONE OF THAT WHEN YOU TRY THE OPPOSITE – WHEN YOU GO FOR BIG SWINGS PERIODICALLY.
You don’t have the long term view. You don’t really believe you can do it. And you don’t get to experience the magic of intangible compounding either.
Taking small actions consistently may not sound sexy at first, but try it.
See for yourself.
See yourself naturally adopting the long term view.
See yourself actually believing you can do it.
See the intangibles compound in size.
And you’ll see the power of taking small actions consistently right before your very eyes.
