Tiny Steps to Giant Leaps — Make Sustainable Lifestyle Changes

Social media has been bombarding us with a shallow unrealistic perspective on how to live a healthy lifestyle. It’s quite binary, you’re either a strong high-achiever or you are a weak innate procrastinator. In this article, I’m explaining why that’s not the case and with just a few easy changes, people can change their lives in ways they never thought were possible. This isn’t a summary from a podcast addict or a bottled version of dozens of self-help books — even though I shamelessly do both.

I’ve spent the past 25 years being morbidly fat. I was on a never-ending cycle of gaining and losing weight until I finally cracked the code. The solution was not to be bold or disciplined — I already had those qualities. Losing weight just like other lifestyle changes cannot be faced with brute force.

Rule 1. Start with a tiny version of what you want to achieve and stay consistent

This rule alone will fix your life; I cannot overstate its importance. If you want to make a change no matter how big it is, start with a tiny manageable action that’ll eventually get you there. In the past, I’d get excited about a change maybe after a breakup or watching an inspiring movie, and end up doing too much too early. That’s the recipe for failure, and yet I see everybody doing it.

Do you know that gym memberships skyrocket in January?

This graph alone should be enough to prove this point. The exciting New Year’s resolutions are the best tailwinds for gyms; the memberships increase by up to 90%, only to drop by 50% in February! Gym attendance follows the exact same pattern.

Here’s a typical example of someone who wants to lose weight. Once they’ve summoned all the energy to finally do something about it, they immediately do the following 1/get a gym membership, 2/spend a couple of hours working out for the first few days, and 3/ change their diet. Surely enough, they quit within a month. Changing habits is much harder than we think. It’s so difficult that even doing one of those steps is a BIG change.

Never introduce more than one habit at a time! What holds people back is not a lack of willpower, it’s a lack of patience.

Before making a change ask yourself this: “What tiny habit can I build that’ll eventually lead me to my goal?” The answer should be something ridiculously simple like going to the gym 10 minutes every day or cutting down part of a meal — yes, that simple. It should be so simple that sticking to it is a no-brainer. When it comes to lifestyle changes, always optimize for consistency over intensity.

I love this quote from Bill Gates “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years”. People don’t realize the power of the compound effect. Starting with a daily walk can lead to you running marathons within a year. The problem is most people aim at the marathon before building the habit of walking every day.

When you want to make a change, force yourself NOT to do much initially. Just be consistent. Go for a walk every day, and I mean every day! Over time you’ll become fitter and you will be capable of doing a lot more. The goal here is to build and sustain a habit — you’ll undoubtedly get better as long as you’re consistent. Don’t be tempted to do something that’ll risk you quitting the habit.

Rule 2. Only measure your progress

This is the hardest part, people get frustrated with themselves and their current situation so they end up going all or nothing. While you’re establishing the habit, don’t compare yourself to others or get frustrated. Lifestyle habits are not goals, they’re systems you establish and use in your life.

I cannot think of a better way to say this, so here’s one cliché for the road: just trust the system. Honestly, you will not see immediate changes, and you should be comfortable with this fact and trust that you’ll get there.

Finally, reflect on the countless stories of those who transformed their lives by consistently applying tiny, almost imperceptible steps toward their goals. Whether it's weight loss, learning a new skill, or improving relationships, the principle remains the same—start with something manageable, and gradually build upon it.

Measure your progress in a way that encourages you, not one that knocks you down. Ignore the mainstream perception of success and focus on your progress.

Lifestyle changes require patience, perseverance, and a belief in the cumulative power of small actions. Let's not rush through life trying to implement massive transformations overnight. Instead, allow yourself the space and time to grow gradually. Trust the system you've set up for yourself, knowing that each small step is a building block towards a larger achievement.

Embrace the process, enjoy the small victories, and continue to strive towards a healthier, more fulfilling life.

Disclaimer: This approach doesn’t apply to habits or relationships you want to withdraw from. I’d go the complete opposite when it comes to those, but that’s for another article.