How Small Steps Create Big Change
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Have you ever dismissed a small step because it feels like it won't make a difference, or felt discouraged when you don't see immediate results? We live in a culture that glorifies big leaps and instant success, but the truth is, lasting change is built through the small, consistent choices we make every day. The biggest mistake is undervaluing these small actions, often quitting right before the magic happens.
In this episode of the Positively LivingⓇ Podcast, I dive into the power of small steps and why they create big, lasting change. I share insights from foundational productivity books like The Slight Edge and Atomic Habits, and give you four simple steps to embrace consistency, build new habits, and trust the process.
I cover the following topics:
- How cultural pressure for instant gratification makes us dismiss small steps and leads us to quit before we see results.
- The science behind why our brains favor bad habits that offer instant rewards, while good habits with delayed benefits feel like so much work.
- How the "compound effect" means that small, consistent actions accumulate into dramatically different outcomes over time, for better or for worse.
- Four actionable steps to embrace small steps: reframing what "small" means, celebrating small wins, focusing on your identity, and using habit stacking.
- My personal story of learning to play guitar to illustrate how small, consistent practice leads to significant skill acquisition over time.
Don't let the simplicity of a small step fool you. The small choice you make today is shaping your future self. What will your first small step be?
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Learn more about Positively LivingⓇ and Lisa at https://positivelyproductive.com/podcast/
Stop trying to fit into someone else’s productivity rules! Grab my free Productivity Toolkit, a collection of workbooks designed to help you explore how you work, uncover what truly matters to you, and create your very own energy-friendly systems. Get it here: www.positivelyproductive.com/plpkit
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LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson
The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
Atomic Habits by James Clear
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Episode #227 on combining and stacking habits
(Find links to books/gear on the Positively Productive Resources Page.)
Dance Song Playlist V1, V2, V3
Music by Ian and Jeff Zawrotny
Request this Toolkit and other free resources at the Resources Page.