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Looking back, one of the main reasons I got “stuck” in various areas of my life is that I waited around until the conditions felt perfect for taking action.
- I wanted to feel in the right mood.
- I wanted to know exactly what needed to be done.
- I wanted a sure path to quick results.
I didn’t feel like taking baby steps because that felt too slow. I’m better than that, or so I thought.
Meanwhile, even before everything felt tidy in their minds, those who had just started moving could quickly gain experience and real-world feedback, which accelerated their journey in the long run.
Because I was too fearful to take those early steps, I missed the fantastic compounding value of action.
I’ve heard it said, and believe it to be accurate, that the reason most people fail to achieve their goals isn’t because they didn’t move fast enough but because they had too many “zero” days. Days when they were unable to make any progress at all.
One simple rule of life I’m trying to follow is to avoid these “zero” days. If you can prevent inaction, the good stuff practically takes care of itself. The more times you put yourself out there with a good habit or a positive action, the more likely you are to see the seeds of those efforts bear fruit.
The Power of Consistent Micro-Actions
My cross-country coach in college used to say, “It’s not rocket science; it’s consistency” when discussing our training plans. And this is true in so many areas of life.
Many people never get started because they assume that people in great shape, enjoying deep friendships, or thriving in their vocations have some exceptional talent. But this is almost certainly only true if you compare yourself to professional athletes and business tycoons.
It comes down to the fact that while most people overestimate how much progress they can make over a short period, they underestimate the amount of progress they can make over significant periods of consistent effort.
It’s nearly impossible to underestimate this effect, and it has been one of my major shortcomings. I felt that if something didn’t happen quickly, I must be doing something wrong, so I gave up in discouragement. But in almost any area of life, if you were to take consistent daily action for a year or two, no matter how small, your present shelf would be shocked at how far you could get.
If there’s one universal piece of advice I could give you, it would be to keep making progress. You might start small, but with enough time, you’ll see your efforts snowball into something extraordinary.
What Keeps Us From Progress
Now, if you set the threshold low enough, nearly everyone could be making regular progress towards our goals. What keeps us from this simple and effective practice? I mentioned a few reasons in the introduction, but I want to briefly expand on two and explain why you shouldn’t let these excuses hold you back.
A belief that slow and steady isn’t fast enough.
One of the biggest obstacles to progress in my life has been an implicit belief that I should be able to find a shortcut to get where I want faster than everyone else. I felt like the ordinary work and the typical path were beneath me, so I always held out for something easier and faster.
A 2022 research study published in Acta Psychologica gives further credibility to the idea that trying to work faster isn’t always the fastest way. They found that under tight deadlines, university students who were trying to work more quickly ended up feeling more stressed and performing worse on the tasks they were given to do. While slowing down may feel like a wasted opportunity at the moment, it can be the faster option when all factors are fully accounted for.
A desire for certainty before getting started.
The other big obstacle I faced, related to the first one, is a belief that I could remove all risk of failure by coming up with the perfect plan at the front end. I wanted to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my original plan would work and that my efforts would be well-spent.
With both unhelpful beliefs, I failed to understand that most of what you need to succeed in anything can’t be learned in the abstract or from a standstill. It would be like trying to become a good friend by reading self-help books while not spending time with those you love.
The quickest way towards what you want is often the most direct. Do the real thing, however small, and do it consistently. That is the secret I learned a little later in life than most, but one I now cherish deeply.
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