Think Small

Progress starts with small, intentional steps – focus on the little well-executed details to achieve big dreams.

1. Small Changes Can Create Big Results

Small adjustments in your actions and thinking can have a ripple effect, leading to major transformations. Rather than relying on brute willpower, making subtle tweaks to daily habits or using strategies from behavioral science can help you stay on course and achieve your goals.

For example, the "nudge theory" proposes that subtle behavioral cues can encourage better outcomes without the need for strict enforcement. A simple nudge, like setting your clock two minutes ahead, can prevent tardiness. Similarly, signing up for a group exercise class can boost your commitment to staying fit, as being part of a collective subtly reinforces the habit.

Even organizations implement this behavior-based approach. In one study, when people with unpaid UK taxes were reminded that "most people with a debt like yours have paid it by now," they were more motivated to pay quickly. Small adaptations can have such powerful effects because they appeal to our innate desire to align with social norms.

Examples

• Setting a watch ahead to stay punctual.
• Joining a group for collective motivation, such as a running club.
• Increased tax payments when citizens received letters referencing the behavior of others.

2. Choose Happiness-Boosting Goals

Success depends on setting the right goals – and those that enhance happiness are often linked to experiences and personal growth rather than material gains. High-achieving and fulfilling goals are rooted in relationships, health, generosity, and learning.

Research has demonstrated that spending money on experiences, such as trips or dining out with loved ones, tends to bring more happiness than purchases like electronics or jewelry. Even in financial windfalls like bonuses, people who used the money for altruistic acts or social interactions reported higher happiness than those who spent it on themselves.

Furthermore, it’s better to concentrate on one meaningful goal at a time to avoid diluting your focus. In one savings experiment, participants with a single savings objective (like funding a child’s education) performed far better than others juggling multiple goals at once, saving nearly twice as much.

Examples

• Spending a $5,000 bonus on gifts for loved ones or charitable donations rather than personal items.
• Focusing on a single goal like paying off debt instead of managing multiple savings categories.
• Prioritizing learning new skills as part of personal goal setting to boost well-being.

3. Simplify Your Path with Clear Rules and Habits

While ambitious plans can inspire, complex strategies often lead to burnouts. By simplifying your rules and fostering habits, you stand to succeed more consistently. Over time, repetition carves pathways that make new, good behaviors automatic.

For example, dieters often fail when they micromanage every element of their meal plans – counting calories or obsessively tracking food details can prove overwhelming. However, adopting a simpler rule, such as the 5:2 diet, where calorie constraints are limited to two days a week, feels much easier to sustain.

Another instance that explains the power of habit emerges from cinema-goers who absentmindedly eat stale popcorn. Their repetitive association of eating popcorn while watching a movie overrides the poor taste. Similarly, you can pair desired results with strong routines, such as writing for 30 minutes every morning right after waking.

Examples

• Using simple food guidelines like "the 5:2 diet" instead of counting every calorie.
• Identifying triggers, such as drinking situations linked with smoking, and scaling back on those triggers.
• Establishing a habit like morning writing by repeating it daily in a set context.

4. Make Goals Public for Accountability

When you declare your aspirations to others, you bring social dynamics into your motivational system. People are more likely to stick with commitments when they know others are watching.

For instance, making a public announcement about your plans, such as running a marathon, creates an external expectation. You’re less likely to back out because accountability becomes tied to your reputation. Even marriage studies highlight this effect: couples having secret ceremonies are 12 times more prone to divorce than those celebrating with public gatherings.

To reinforce accountability, appoint a referee. This person monitors your progress and delivers feedback if you falter. Co-author Rory Gallagher found himself hitting the gym more consistently when Owain Service, his colleague and referee, was there to keep tabs on him.

Examples

• Telling colleagues about your plan to complete a marathon increases your sense of responsibility.
• Couples holding a large wedding show greater commitment due to community expectations.
• Appointing a referee like a coworker or friend to hold you accountable for goals.

5. Incentives Can Motivate – If They’re Chosen Wisely

It’s tempting to use rewards to incentivize success, but not all rewards work. Surprisingly, financial rewards might weaken intrinsic motivation. What works better is creating meaningful consequences, often tapping into emotions like avoiding loss.

An anti-smoking program revealed the power of putting money at risk. Participants deposited significant amounts that they would only retrieve if they avoided smoking. This strategy worked 30% more effectively than other quitting aids. The fear of losing hard-earned money was an effective motivator.

This technique can extend to other goals. For instance, if a runner commits to donating $200 to a charity if they fail to meet their weekly mileage, the loss-aversion trigger outweighs a desire for financial gain.

Examples

• Anti-smoking participants risking money had higher success rates.
• A parent promising themselves less screen time as a consequence of overeating.
• Runners committing financial penalties if they skip workouts.

6. Ask for Help and Collaborate

People often underestimate how willing others are to help. Seeking help doesn’t only make your goals easier; it builds momentum and opens possibilities for teamwork.

In one experiment, 50% of strangers willingly lent their phone when approached by someone whose own phone had died. Social support extends far beyond such scenarios, too. Savers joining groups saw their savings rates double as they shared victories and setbacks with others.

Even exercising alongside a virtual partner (unbeknownst to participants, just a looped video) drove higher motivation compared to working out solo – underscoring the energetic push that others can inspire.

Examples

• 50% of strangers sharing their phones shows our tendency to assist others.
• Group savers achieving better results through shared accountability.
• Exercising with co-workers or virtual partners to maintain fitness commitments.

7. Leverage Feedback and Comparisons

Feedback acts as a guide to signal progress toward your goals. Whether it’s apps tracking your runs or reminders of strategies not working, monitoring your actions ensures growth and improvement.

Doctors curbing rampant antibiotic prescriptions exemplify effective feedback. Informing top 20% prescribers that most colleagues used fewer antibiotics prompted change, reducing overprescription by 70,000 cases.

To lose weight, for example, weigh yourself weekly to analyze patterns. Compare milestones versus the initial target to decide where to upgrade effort, ensuring an ongoing sense of purpose.

Examples

• Doctors prescribing less when focused on peer performance.
• Tracking weight-loss goals prefaced by scheduled weigh-ins.
• App alerts revealing daily fitness progress.

8. Practice Deeply, Try New Methods

Perfect results demand focused repetition over enjoyable distractions. In one spelling bee study, kids who engaged in solitary and intentional preparation outperformed those who played word games.

However, experimenting with methods ensures flexibility. Owain Service’s organ donation web experiment revealed what worked best by testing eight different web approaches, showing that people often respond unpredictably, emphasizing the need to try ideas.

This applies universally – shifting your jogging schedule or savings strategies can be revealing. When standardized methods feel ineffective, it’s time to switch and explore alternatives.

Examples

• Focused spelling practice leading to greater mastery.
• Trying morning versus evening jogging times for better results.
• Varying savings strategies to see measurable benefits.

9. Start Small to Achieve Big

The essence of behavioral science boils down to this: small, deliberate changes snowball into significant successes over time. Choose simplicity, visible results, and tailored incentives to stay aligned with goals.

Repeat the small steps daily, run small experiments, and adapt quickly when methods don’t deliver. From refining habits to setting measurable deadlines, effective transformation is possible when you take small but purposeful steps.

Examples

• Setting small and realistic goals, like losing five pounds by a specific date.
• Iterating on methods that don’t initially work, like switching fitness routines.
• Committing to incremental lifestyle shifts instead of massive overhauls.

Takeaways

1. Declare your plans publicly and pair them with an accountability system, like appointing a referee or working in groups.
2. Simplify goals and practices to remove complexity that leads to burnout.
3. Use actionable feedback consistently to fine-tune progress and stay adaptive in your approach.