Move just one thing?
Isn’t that a bit unambitious, when you want fast results?
Are small moves really enough to make big changes?
Most of us have set out goals which felt exciting and ambitious, but not all of them have worked out. There are usually areas we excel at, and others we find harder.
For lots of people, exercise and good nutrition are great examples - the classic bold ‘new year, new year’ good intentions plan (“I’ll run a half marathon by March”) that doesn’t quite stick.
Or you might have been involved in a huge transformation in your workplace - it sounded like all the right things, lots of detailed plans were put together, but the energy faded before all the results were delivered, and then a new plan came along.
The good news is, it’s remarkable how making small steps can lead us to big change. Little moves might feel inconsequential, but they build confidence, build new strengths, and there’s a multiplier effect that can take off - triggering other changes that add up to the big result we’re looking for.
In short, rather than trying to change everything at once, know that one positive step will often lead to another. If we’re clear about where we’re heading, it’s surprising how rewarding the small wins can be.
Together, we will uncover that best next move right now. And it might feel different, challenging, or uncomfortable.
Here are some stories and books about how simple changes to habits, behaviours or processes begin to add up to larger results for people and organisations:
BJ Fogg, Tiny Habits : Why Starting Small Makes Lasting Change Easy, published 29th December 2020
James Clear, Atomic Habits, published 18th October 2018
Richard H. Thaler, Misbehaving : The Making of Behavioural Economics, published 5th May 2016
Forbes: The Science Behind Adopting New Habits (And Making Them Stick), 13th February 2018