The Compound Effect
How to Accomplish Big Things by Taking Small Steps Each Day
When it comes to accomplishing big things, many people think that they need to take massive action right away. But this isn't always the case. In fact, if you want to achieve lasting success, you should implement the compound effect. This means taking small steps each day and then watching your progress compound over time. It may not seem like much at first, but by consistently putting in the effort, you will be able to reach heights that you never thought possible!
Let's look at how the Compound Effect, coined by Darren Hardy, can work for you. For example, if you take a penny and double it every day for 30 days, you will have over 5 million dollars by the end of the month. Progress is slow at first- by day 15 you will still only have $163.84. But within the last week of the month, your results begin to compound and you will see exponential growth in the amount of money you have. Similarly, most people won't save $100 over the course of one month, but will save $3 a day for one month getting to the same end goal.
So here are some tips to start to compound your efforts:
1) Develop your systems. Humans are creatures of habits so figure out what small action you can take every single day to get to your goal and then how you will go about doing it. Make it autopilot. If you want to eat more fruits and vegetables, put them in a bowl at the center of your kitchen so you see them when you walk past. If you want to read more, make sure you have a book in your work bag or by your bed. If you want to use your stationary bike more, keep a pair of tennis shoes right next to the bike so you can jump on quickly.
2) Practice! When you are starting out, practice your new habit a few times. This will help you get to autopilot more quickly. If you want to build your following on social media, take 10 minutes and create a couple of new videos. Get over the hurdle or doing the habit the first few times so it doesn't seem that hard.
3) Record and keep track. If your goal is to loose weight, then you need a baseline to know where you started and then a way to track what you do each day. Use either a paper habit tracker or an app to start tracking. You will be collecting your own data so that you can pivot and assess your progress along the way. So for instance, I can see on my app that I have run 27 times since the beginning of the year when I started incorporating that into my routine 3 times per week. We are only two months into the year, so by running 3 times each week, over time my number of runs has really added up!
Start with these three tips and you will be on your way to success! Remember, progress is slow at first but if you are consistent, the compound effect will work in your favor. Good luck!
We are just a week away from discussing the Enneagram! Make sure to check out these resources below and RSVP here.
1) Take the enneagram test. There are a bunch of options on Google that are free. This is the one that I did.
2) If you want to read more about the history, other numbers, how to use it etc, here are the books I checked out:
The Road Back to You by: Ian Morgan Cron
The Enneagram Made Easy by: Elizabeth Wagele and Renee Baron