Big Goals? Start Small: The Power of Incremental Growth

Small habits are the root of lasting change because they harness the power of incremental growth. They lead to big changes for these 3 reasons.

1. Small, consistent actions are easier to maintain over the long term compared to big, irregular efforts.
2. Each time you complete a small habit you reinforce your identity. i.e. reading for 15 minutes every day makes you a person who reads.
3. The effects compound. A 1% daily improvement leads to a 37 times improvement over a year.

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Small habits have specific characteristics that make them easy to adopt and effective over time. These characteristics make small habits the building blocks of meaningful change. They’re easy to start and stick to because they don’t overwhelm you. The 10 characteristics include:

1. Simple and Manageable
2. Action Oriented
3. Tied to Existing Routines
4. Easily Repeatable
5. Non-Overwhelming
6. They Can Be Expanded
7. Low Risk of Failure
8. Triggered by Cues
9. Provide a Sense of Accomplishment
10. Part of a Bigger Goal

Building small habits involves a simple and effective process to create lasting, positive behavior changes. These 5 simple steps include:

1. Keep the habit small so it feels almost effortless
2. Tie your habit to a specific trigger such as a time, place, or action or attach it to an existing habit
3. Make it easy by preparing in advance
4. Celebrate success to keep motivation high
5. Track progress

Small habits should be easy to integrate into your daily routine and should have a significant positive impact on your health and wellness either immediately or long-term. Here are some examples of small habits that will have a positive impact.

• Physical Health
  • Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up
  • Stretch for 2 minutes every morning
  • Do one push-up every morning
  • Floss one tooth before brushing your teeth
• Mental Health
  • Practice deep breathing for 30 seconds before starting your workday
  • Write down one thing you are grateful for right before bed
  • Take a 5-minute walk outside after dinner
  • Smile at yourself in the mirror to boost your mood right before getting in the shower
• Productivity
  • Spend one minute clearing clutter from your workspace
  • Write down your top 3 priorities for the day before breakfast
• Personal Growth
  • Learn one new fact each day from an article online, book, or podcast
  • Spend one minute writing in a journal before bed
  • Read one paragraph or page of a book every day

Small habits focus on gradual progress, training you to think long-term and prioritize sustainable growth. They’re proof that significant transformation doesn’t require dramatic changes. It’s the consistent, small steps that ultimately lead to the greatest results.

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