Quick Wins and Tiny Habits
Every year, and especially around new years, a vast majority of people write down their goals for the new year. The unfortunate thing is that these goals remain to be the same from one year to another, and it is very common that nothing is achieved during the year. Take for example gym memberships, did you know that gym sign-ups spike in January, and the first week of January witnesses the highest number of gym visits. But it only takes one week for the number of gym visits to go back to normal and the yearly average?
Why is this always the case? And is there any guidance on how to overcome that?
The answer to that question is “quick wins”, and the solution to that is “tiny habits”.
“The most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are most consistent, even if it is small”
Quick wins. That is the principle that drives our modern-day life and society. We are pressured to make quick gains, wins, and accomplishments. However, in our chase for quickness, we have slowly lost the ability to be patient and consistent. The dilemma is that nothing worthwhile has been accomplished quickly. Anything worthwhile has required patience and consistency over a significant time. The key secret is that to achieve success, you are only required to do small habits consistently every day—no quitting, no boredom, but committing to it religiously.
The quick example of 1% return each day for a year makes the case clear. The image above from James clear demonstrates the power of the consistent small habits. If you improve 1% every day consistently, how much will the total improvement be in one year. This also works in reverse, if you deteriorate 1% every day, how bad will you be after a year?
