The Myth of Going All In
You really want to make some changes this year. Lose weight (22 lbs), earn more (extra $1000 each month) or meet more people. These are just some examples that may be inspired by true events.
You want it so much that you decide to go all in.
“I’m gonna make it happen”.
That’s cute. I mean, that’s so badass.
We start working out 2 hours every day at this $150 gym we didn’t know before. We buy a $3000 camera to have the perfect gear to start learning photography. We decide we will create a video everyday or write 2000 words each morning.
We set big daily goals, which requires big investments in time, money and effort. Because we think that this is the price to pay to get this electroshock that will change us forever.
But that was too much.
With this strategy, we get so sore, tired and pressured to perform that we find some excuses to quit. Some of them may even be real.
Starting big creates a gap too wide between dreams and reality. A gap too wide for us to fill.
The 1% Improvement
How can we stay on track ?
The Kaizen method is all about continuous improvements. You don’t look to make over your whole house in one day. You just keep refining one room after another, every day.
“There is no finish line” – David Goggins, badass bald guy and former Navy Seal.
“No finish line” means you run races you chose for life. You don’t wait for your adventure to be over (“Can’t wait to lose my weight so I can eat burgers every night again”). You enjoy living it (“I love working out every day”)
Focus on being better 1% every day. You have all the time in the world.
You can always find a way to be 1% better in things that matter the most (wealth, health or relationships).
And the beauty of it is that “1% better” doesn’t look scary. You know you can do it : the target is so small you can only reach it, day after day.
Small efforts build up. Skills pile up. Results show up. Confidence is up.
Starting big gives you some results to celebrate something fast. That’s good if you need proof that you can make it happen.
Starting small gives you huge results in the long run. That’s better if you really want to make it happen.
You got this.
