Small Improvements: The Secret to Lasting Motivation

I love running but not gonna lie, keeping up with the discipline to train can be tough. There are days when I question why I'm even doing it. Your body sends signals of fatigue, and your mind says, "Maybe not today, you have something else more important."

Finding Motivation in a Distracting World

So, how do you find the motivation to run, go to the gym, or take that extra online course? Reality is, we live in a wonderful world full of distractions, easy rewards, and entertainment fighting for our attention. But deep down, you know that exercise will increase your energy, studying will make you more prepared, and changing habits will help you grow into the person you truly want to become.

This post is about resources and tiny hacks that you can start applying today, right now, to help you stay on track with your journey or to begin making positive changes. The only thing I can guarantee is that you will question everything, and you will feel like giving up. But that's alright.

The Power of Small Improvements

James Clear, in his book Atomic Habits, talks about the power of tiny changes and how they can lead to significant transformations. He states:

"Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement."

This means that just like money multiplies through compound interest, the effects of your habits multiply as you repeat them. They seem to make little difference on any given day, yet the impact they deliver over the months and years can be enormous.

Clear gives a great example:

“If you can get 1% better each day for one year, you'll end up thirty-seven times better by the time you're done.”

This illustrates how focusing on small, consistent improvements can lead to remarkable results over time.

Practical Tips to Implement Small Changes

1. Start Small:
Don’t aim to overhaul your entire routine at once. Begin with a tiny habit, such as doing five push-ups a day or reading one page of a book. The goal is to make it so easy that you can’t say no.

2. Stack Your Habits:
Use the habit stacking technique, where you pair a new habit with an existing one. For example, if you already have a habit of drinking coffee every morning, add a new habit like reading a motivational quote while you sip your coffee.

3. Track Your Progress:
Keeping track of your progress helps you stay motivated and see how far you've come. You can use a journal, an app, or even a simple calendar where you mark off each day you complete your habit.

4. Make It Attractive:
Associate positive feelings with the habit you want to build. This could mean listening to your favorite podcast while running or rewarding yourself with a small treat after completing a workout.

5. Focus on Systems, Not Goals:
Clear emphasizes that focusing on the system (the process) rather than the goal can lead to better results. Instead of setting a goal to run a marathon, focus on building a running habit.



Source: Growth Summary. 

Embrace the Process

It's natural to face challenges and setbacks. Clear reminds us that habits are not about achieving perfection but about continuous improvement. He writes:

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

This means that your success is determined by the quality of the habits you build, not just by setting lofty goals.

Final Thoughts

The key to lasting change lies in making small, consistent improvements. These tiny habits, compounded over time, can lead to significant transformations. So start small, stay consistent, and remember that it’s alright to question and stumble along the way. Keep your eyes on the journey and the person you are becoming.

For more insights and practical tips, check out James Clear’s Atomic Habits. It's a treasure trove of wisdom on how small changes can lead to remarkable results.

Just by reading this, you already added 1% to your personal growth hacking jar. 🥇❤️