The Power Of Gradual
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The Power of Gradual
Zen Habits Simple Productivity
The Power of Gradual
Even a small drip can add up to a sea of change.
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Editor’s note : This is a gue st post by Ian Ne wby-Clark (Habit Guy) of My Bad Habits.
If you read Zen Habits with any regularity—and shame on you if you don’t—one thing should be perfectly clear: There are no quick fixes. Making change in your life takes time. When you work at something day in and day out, you achieve huge positive change in your life. If you don’t stick to it, your results can be disappointing. No amount of “blitzing” a series of workouts, “cramming” for exams, or “crash dieting” will get you the results that the Power of Gradual can. Try this as an experiment. Make a tap leak ever so slightly—maybe a drop every half minute or so. Put an empty bucket below it. Now, go on with your day. Forget about the tap. Actually, I don’t need to tell you to forget the tap. You just will. Sometime later, stroll by the bucket. Holy heck! There’s a lot of water in there. It might even be overflowing (the author will not be held responsible …). That’s the Power of Gradual. It’s the effect of a small thing happening over and over (and over) again. Compound interest is all about the Power of Gradual. It turns out that there is a fairly easy way to accumulate a comparatively large amount of money. It’s slow, but it works. Put as much money as you can manage into a compound interest account. The earlier the better, so do it right now. Make regular deposits into the account. Don’t look at the account. Make the deposits automatic so you don’t have to think about it. Before you know it, it’s time to retire. Look at the account balance. Holy guacamole, you’re rich! I see the Power of Gradual in my writing too. I write every working day for two hours or so. Sometimes, especially when I’m writing a first draft, the two hours feels wasted because I’ve been doing the literary equivalent of babbling. I return to the piece the next day and rework it. I rework it the next day. Sometimes I don’t even know where it’s going for a few days. All of “sudden”, it comes together. Of course, there’s no “sudden” about it. It’s the Power of Gradual. The Power of Gradual works because, quite simply, little things add up to a big thing if you have enough little things. Given enough time, the steady drip-drop of water becomes an ocean. Given enough time, small regular deposits become a small fortune. Given enough time, steady work at my awful first drafts yields a passable final draft. But here’s the thing. We tend to be surprised by the Power of Gradual. We’re shocked at the amount of water in the bucket, at the size of our bank account, at the beauty of our writing. That’s because we pay a lot of attention to the immediate, the big, the splashy. Examples abound. We notice the person on television who apparently lost thirty pounds in three weeks. We pay less attention to our next-door neighbor. She’s been steadily losing three pounds per month for the last zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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year and a half (54 pounds!). We weep at the death of our favorite actor or a recent airplane crash, but we are casually indifferent to the increasingly worrying news about the AIDS pandemic in Africa. We admire a beautiful sentence and forget the hours of slogging it took to get it just-so. Let us be mindful of this tendency of ours. If we allow ourselves to be distracted by the immediate, big, and splashy, we’ll forget about the Power of Gradual. We’ll cram for the exam the night before instead of reading the text for an hour every day. We’ll go for a big run every week instead of three or four small runs throughout the week. We’ll forget about the effects of eating the same fatty breakfast sandwich every morning … Remember the Power of Gradual. Remember it in your dark moments when the weight isn’t coming off, when you’re poor, or when you can’t think of a way to write something down. Relax. Keep going. It will come. Read more from Ian Newby-Clark at his blog, My Bad Habits, or subscribe to his feed. 18 trackbacks Linkfest « Life of Bubs January162009 at 9:54 pm Turulcsirip - Balazs Bohonyi January172009 at 4:24 am Check out Exclusive Interview: Leo Talks With Tim Ferriss of 4-Hour Workweek « Life of a Beginning Singer January172009 at 9:25 pm Sunday Sparklers (Jan #1 ‘09) « Shine A Little Brighter January172009 at 11:33 pm LifeWiz » Blog Archive » “ ” January232009 at 2:55 am The Power of Gradual « zentiment January232009 at 7:29 pm Look Back in Gratitude (to Yourself): The Power of Gradual (Part II) « Journal of Eddie G January282009 at 1:59 am Nuances « Zigs Adventures February12009 at 3:05 am My booklist « Veritypayne’s Blog February42009 at 1:46 pm Il Potere del Graduale | Carlotta Cerri February42009 at 1:54 pm The Power of Gradual - Young and Frugal February112009 at 12:52 am zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Look Back in Gratitude (to Yourself): The Power of Gradual (Part II) « My reads on life,productivity & happiness February132009 at 11:15 am Carpe Diem » Blog Archive » This and that … February152009 at 7:33 am The Adult Piggy Bank: A Gradual Savings Plan | Fiscal Fizzle February162009 at 8:34 am Change Habits Gradually for Maximum Success — The Rat Race Trap February162009 at 11:58 pm In Just 12 Minutes… | 4-Hour Zen Hacker & Philip Powis March162009 at 7:03 pm Goal Setting - A Man In Full (part 1) | Do You Dave Ramsey? April22009 at 10:07 pm 5 Ways to Fight Financial Stagnation > Fiscal Fizzle April162009 at 1:37 pm 93 brilliant comments
DKumar M. January162009 at 6:21 pm Nice writing Ian, It always helps to paying attention… at least in my case.
Corey - Simple Marriage January162009 at 6:21 pm The power of gradual. Great idea. Let little simple things build on themselves until it’s something big. Would work in all areas of life.
Karthik January162009 at 6:26 pm Excellent post, Ian and thank you Leo. At times, I tend to think about the goal too much and become stressed out that I’m not there yet. Reminding myself about the Power of Gradual certainly helps during such times. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Gennaro @ Enduring Wanderlust January162009 at 6:30 pm Patience is a virtue. Hard work too. I love the idea that little thing add up to a big thing, Ian. I also think it allows us to get thru the tougher times if we focus on the smaller accomplishments along the way instead of always thinking about the big picture.
Relja Dereta January162009 at 6:49 pm Great post. I think an additional good way of remembering the power of gradual is to look back at any skill (e.g. foreign languages, art, sport etc.) in which you’re good at and recall that you didn’t get there suddenly and magically, but rather over a period of time in which you dedicated a small, but significant amount of time to that skill every (other) day. Personal hard proof is hard to beat :)
Bamboo Forest - PunIntended January162009 at 7:01 pm Wonderful post, Ian. And I like that it had no subheadings or lists. It flowed beautifully. I also really enjoyed your metaphor of a bucket receiving drips of water. Thanks for the reminder of the power of gradual.
Ian Newby-Clark January162009 at 7:06 pm Thanks for the great comments. Good point from Relja. We don’t do enough looking back. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Joh January162009 at 7:08 pm This is an excellent metaphor and it will certainly stick in my mind. It’s really a powerful way to imagine this. Thanks for that.
Lindsay January162009 at 7:27 pm This is exactly what I needed to hear today. Making lifestyle changes and getting through the daily routine can make us discouranged and impatient… thanks for reminding me to slow down and enjoy the ride!
jessica January162009 at 7:56 pm some great things to ponder here, and great to see a new contributor on zenhabits, well done!
Dan - Home Calisthenics January162009 at 8:04 pm It’s a simple case of primacy and recency.
Success Professor January162009 at 8:09 pm Great post. I really like the idea of gradual growth and improvement. The interesting thing that seems to happen though, is if you are consistent in pursing the gradual there will be some sudden moments of break through. You’ll be going along drip, zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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drip, drip, and then all of a sudden there will be something that opens up and splash! The problem is most people then think that it’s the splash that caused the success, when it reality it was the long moments of drip, drip, drip.
Very Evolved January162009 at 8:14 pm Ian, Gradual changes/accumulation is very very powerful as you’ve highlighted. The reason we don’t all take advantage of this is actually biological. Our brains have evolved to be exceptionally good at finding patterns and spotting changes. The problem is that it’s evolved to spot FAST changes. A saber toothed tiger slowly stalking through the bushes, escapes unnoticed until it starts to move quickly. You’ve probably experienced a more familiar example If you’ve ever lost your cursor on your screen with a busy background - a tiny little movement will immediately allow you to see where it is. So the powerful slow changes you’ve describe escape without use even considering they are there, and hence we don’t attach much importance to them. Thanks for the reminder to invest in gradual change - especially about writing everyday! Patrick
Yann January162009 at 8:16 pm Nice post. Power of Gradual and Power of Less are interesting concepts. Another one close to it is the Power of Deliberate Practice. It means that we cannot achieve and be an expert at something unless we practice again and again. Looks like making habits.
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Simona Rich January162009 at 8:17 pm That’s what I realised quite a while ago. Whenever I wanted to achieve some goal, I would want to get it as fast as possible. That caused frustration and dissapointment whenever I failed to achieve what I wanted. Then I understood that there are no shortcuts. By taking shortcuts you just waste your life. Therefore I completely agree with you that change does come with time, but whenever it comes, it’s there to stay. It’s like with my previous business. I started it to get rich quick. It worked for a while and generated enough cash, but then it took more and more of my time and eventually I had to get rid of it as I could not maintain any balance in life. This happened because I did not spend time planning before going into business. Selling the business was the price I had to pay for wanting something without putting enough effort and time in. But fortunatelly I understood that and I am involved in a couple of ventures that grow really slowly, but they are to stay for long:) Thank you again for great post.
Nick January162009 at 8:30 pm GREAT article. Loved it. Really can help me me out.
Cammy January162009 at 8:39 pm Great post, one that I’ll be printing and re-reading as needed. It only took me 30 years to learn this concept, but I was finally able to understand that small efforts, consistently applied, yield big results. Once I finally “got it”, I was able to consistently apply some fitness concept zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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and as a result, I lost 100 pounds. Not a quick fix and not a lasting one without continued effort, but a series of gradual changes that paid off.
Vincent January162009 at 8:41 pm The power of gradual will be a great help to ward off procrastination. Sometime people put off doing things that are valuable to them because it cannot provide instant gratification, but the power of gradual will remind themselves that they will have the full bucket of water over time instead of now. Cheers Vincent Personal Development Blogger
Sean of ThinkandSwitch January162009 at 8:42 pm Wow, thank you Ian, this post came at the time I needed it. I’ve been struggling to find the motivation to continue my work on those days it just doesn’t seem to go anywhere. I popped on here because of writers block! Looks like I need to get back to work. Thanks again.
Jiovanni January162009 at 8:49 pm I needed this. Thanks.
Tara January162009 at 9:09 pm Ian, this was a lovely post - your gentle, intimate tone made me feel like you were reminding zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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me directly about remembering it is what we do every day that matters. The Power of Gradual - I think this is going to be a personal mantra for a while. Barriers in the path are inevitable (for instance, I’ve been fighting and then recovering from a flu for two weeks now, which has derailed running, cleaning, etc), but it not those short-term barriers that influence our long-term journey as much as the individual steps we take every day.
Relax January162009 at 9:48 pm I remember there’s a blog slogan: not everyone can get rich quickly, but we can get rich slowly even compounding effect requires the law of power :-) your friend Relax ~
Jeremy Simpson January162009 at 9:55 pm Great Post! Thank you…..
Yak! January162009 at 9:58 pm Following this advise I would also suggest to always START no matter if timing is not perfect, if you don’t think you are 100% prepare…just let that first drop fall… others will follow.
Matt Kreiling January162009 at 10:38 pm Ian, zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Thank you for writing in paragraphs that are sometimes more than 3 sentences long. (You didn’t have a single bullet point either!) Not that short paragraphs and lists aren’t great ways to communicate. It’s just that I appreciate a measured pace that is written to hear, not just to deliver. I am trying to live up to my blog’s ambitious tagline and your advice about writing has really made me feel more secure and confident that it will happen. I am compiling a manual for life, and it can only be written one sentence at a time. Also, Slowness by Milan Kundera. Leo, Your blog is starting to be overwhelming. I have been reading for about a year, and now, even by ignoring every fourth post or so, I cannot keep up. Talk about a bucket overflowing! Please slow down. And for god’s sake, please stop bringing more articulate purveyors of advice to my attention. I have enough. Thank you, -Matt Kreiling
The Daily Minder January162009 at 11:03 pm The Buddha stated that this is how Buddhahood is achieved. Gradual discipline. Great post. Well done. TDM
hatrabbit January162009 at 11:11 pm zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Thanks for the great post! It’s pretty easy to get overwhelmed this time of year with all the ‘New Year’ goals. I found your article a wonderful reminder to just put one foot in front of the other, and keep things in perspective. Cheers, Dave.
Julie January162009 at 11:13 pm This is great for us students who are starting off the semester. Slow is better. Study now - not later. Read now and therefore you will have to read less later. It’s accumulation. Thanks for the post Leo! Julie
ChasingSanity.com January162009 at 11:22 pm I would take issue with the principle that there are no quick fixes. I would agree more if it was stated that there are no intentional quick fixes, which is perhaps what you meant. Quick fixes do exist, when one “awakens”. This can happen via a near death experience or simply sitting down on a quiet shore, taking in the ocean breeze, and suddenly, as if magically, connecting to the Now. These brief, unexpected, unanticipated moments can change lives forever.
Manic January172009 at 1:54 am A journey of a thousand miles is made a step at a time. This old saying (can’t remember where from) is based on the same idea of gradual. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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The key with gradual is don’t give yourself too much time. Every goal you set should be challenging and not too easy. Manic
Amit B January172009 at 3:35 am Simple, Yet Powerful. Initially i use to think why i am not losing any weight (sooner)…. then i realised that i have not gained it in a day….so now i just keep on working out…and gradually i will lose in next 1 year…. After all “Rome was not built in a day”…
Rob January172009 at 4:49 am Patience is something that is learned: you’re not born with it, but you are taught it: by parents, teachers, siblings and all those that you come in contact with during your daily life. It certainly isn’t easy to learn patience, and there are some on the planet that will never master it. But in order to be productive and have your wits about you, patience is a necessity. It’s all about patience, and then focusing your patience into methods of being more productive. Patience lies at the foundation of productivity. Without patience, we, as blind and visually impaired workers, become even more impaired. When we embrace patience, we have the capacity to learn how to be productive.
Small Business Marketing January172009 at 5:22 am I love you metaphor. “The power of gradual” Even a small drip can add up to a sea of change - will remain with me for a long time and shape how I go after some changes I am zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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planning.
Alistar January172009 at 5:24 am A timely post. And just the sort of thing I needed to read just now. I need to lose some weight. A recent health check and discussion with my doctor has pushed this up my priority list. So today I just did the first simple steps in an exercise plan. Not a lot. Tempted to do more. But I resisted. Tempted to despair of ever getting anywhere too, with the apparent slowness of it all. But I know I did it before, and your post reminded me how - by doing it gradually - I just forgot the lessons I learned then. Your post has reminded me of several good things I achieved simply by what you’ve called ‘the power of gradual’ - a tagline I’ll use from now on to remind myself of this. Another key point tho’ was ‘just starting’ as Yak! noted above - an excellent point. Manic’s point about setting yourself something challenging, to be achieved in a given time period, is important. But even a simple challenge is sometimes enough. My goal is currently 3 walks of 20 minutes in the next week. The challenge isn’t actually the walking. It is making it (’the walk’) happen, to schedule, to establish the habit. Then I can extend the habit. Very much in keeping with other posts of Leo’s. And very much in keeping with the ‘power of gradual’. Thanks again. …and yes, like others, I also admired the writing style. Well done.
Relja Dereta January172009 at 5:25 am @ChasingSanity What you’re talking is a whole another thing. I completely agree that there are unexpected events which can incredibly influence you as a person, but the problem with them is that they’re, well, unexpected :). And, generally, they occur rarely. They will happen at some point, and they will influence you, pretty much whether you want it or not. In the meantime, you have a life to live :) And to this everyday life, you need to try to zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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consciously apply things such as Graduality. I’m not really disagreeing with you on anything, I just think that we need to put as much accent as possible on the Power of Gradual. While change does happen with unexpected events, I think most of humanity needs a lot more reassurance that change WILL also happen if you let a little bit of water drip into the bucket every day, so to speak. The Power of Graduality is not getting the spotlight it should. I also think that as you develop yourself, gradually, you also increase the chances of exposure to unexpected events, which inspire you and change you even further. But that’s for a whole another post :)
Addiction Writer January172009 at 6:25 am Very nice Ian. I am in the addiction treatment industry and with addiction recovery the Power of Gradual as you say is immense. Little gains in one addictive area, little gains in another and pretty soon a masterpiece of recovery is born. Thanks for the post.
Miss Attica January172009 at 8:10 am One of my favorite verses of The Yoga Sutras sais that “Practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break and in all earnestness.” That is the Power of Gradual! Thanks for a great article Ian.
Johanna January172009 at 8:36 am So timely. Thanks!
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Nicolai - Happiness Cafe January172009 at 8:44 am I love this ninja knowledge :-D It’s so true to everything - consitency is key to success. And the way you present it in this article Ian is great. A really good article, keep up the good work.
Greg January172009 at 9:40 am This is an excellent article, and observation into human nature. Too often, we get caught up in the immediate. We miss the fact that the true achievers in life (in nearly anything) are those that work hard and sacrifice. They plan and prepare. That’s the sure way to success - in all things. Thanks!
Steve @ Freedom Education January172009 at 10:03 am Good stuff Ian Your story of the “leaky tap” reminds me of what Jack Canfield says about taking small steps towards a goal or target. Here’s his analogy: “Think of driving from California to New York at night. As you’re driving the car, the headlights illuminate 200 feet of roadway in front of you at any time. As you move through the first 200 feet, another 200 feet of highway will come into view so you can see where you’re going.” Jack says this is similar to achieving a goal that we think is way beyond our means. He says, zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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it’s not until we take the first step towards our destination that the next step will be shown to us. And each small movement towards our destination brings us one step closer to our goal.
Jandi Small January172009 at 10:20 am Great reminder, Ian! Love the drip-drip-drip metaphor. Leo, I am enjoying your new book very much. I going to give it as a Valentine’s Day gift to my near and dear ones.
David at Animal-Kingdom-Workouts.com January172009 at 10:42 am It’s always better to do something than nothing. Particularly in the area of exercise, doing a little everyday always beats doing a lot once in awhile. Great guest post! - Dave
Puerhan January172009 at 10:54 am Dear Ian, Wonderful post, I love the message and that the post is short and eloquent. -P
Miss Gisele B | EatSmartAgeSmart.com January172009 at 11:01 am Clark, What a brilliant post and quite timely (may I add). We live in a society of “NOW” - we want it all right now: fame, success, money, talent, zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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perfect figure, soul mate, degrees … but so few people are willing to put in the time to achieve these goals. Rome was not built in one day, yet our society expects things … like yesterday! I think a post like this one reminds us all that by doing things everyday we become better at them, they become part of our lifestyle and in the end we master them. This is my own opinion, but I truly believe that this recessionary economy will force people to look in to their hearts and want to take things a little slower. It’s the desire of “now” that got us into this financial and mortgage mess. Had most people saved “gradually” to buy a house as opposed to wanting a $750,000 home NOW when you earn $50,000/year, CNN wouldn’t have hourly features about how the economy is crumbling. At the end of the day, the only way to master anything is by doing it enough time that it becomes second nature AND that means that it will take some time. Thanks Clark for this inspiring post! Miss Gisele B.
Brandon Hansen January172009 at 11:18 am it seems like every one of the posts here are timed just right for me. I don’t know what it is, but when ever I have a problem with my blogging, writing or something else, along comes a post that hits the nail right on the head. Congrats on a great post, and here’s to the power of gradual.
Bruce Elkin January172009 at 12:42 pm Excellent piece. And good advice. The power of gradual is the basis of “the learning curve”, which takes the form of one of Pareto’s Power Laws, usually thought of as the 80/20 rule. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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The first 80 of time and effort (practice) you put into producing a result will only return about 20% of the results you want. So improvement is gradual. The first part of the curve is relatively flat. But the last 20% of effort will return 80% of the results. As the gradually gradually becomes less gradual, there’s a point where results begin to accelerate. You produce greater results with less effort. That’s the steep part of the curve. It’s like a wave of energy lifting you up toward your desired results. Most people think of the learning curve more like it was a mountain they have to scale, but no, it’s more like a long plateau they have to cross, gradually, until they hit the sweet spot (about 75-80% of the way) where the curve accelerates exponentially. It’s an exhilirating experience!
Geoff Wasserman January172009 at 1:39 pm Success is doing a little thing, a long time, until something big happens. Good stuff on this blog! Thanks. Geoff
Diane January172009 at 1:56 pm Excellent! I need to remember this on 2 levels - the power of gradual for the positive building savings, decluttering my closet, cutting soft drinks from my diet, but also for the negative - eating just a couple of cookies each evening, letting paperwork pile up unattended. The key is to be mindful that gradual changes can make a difference for the good or the bad. Its obviously so much easier to see the big changes, but the small ones creep up on us…
John January172009 at 2:03 pm zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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The ultimate testimony to the power of gradual = evolution.
Harry January172009 at 2:37 pm Thanks for this beautiful post. Baby steps is so important for changing habits, and achieving goals too. It reminds me of something I read about, is that it’s like driving in the dark on the highway, you can only see a few yard up front lit up by the headlights, but that’s all you need to follow, to cover the entire journal, no matter how long it is.
Gilmar January172009 at 3:14 pm Great post - as usual. I, for one, should be really careful about the financial part. I always think “this money” is very little - not worth saving but then…..Thanks!
Elizabeth Scott @ About Stress Management January172009 at 4:50 pm Great post! While I’ve long been a believer in this concept, I love the name you put on it, and the images that you’ve attached to the name. When I’m jogging today, or writing what may feel like Not Enough (it never feels like I have enough time for writing, lol!), I’ll think about the Power of Gradual and the overflowing bucket and give myself a high-five. I’ll also have to check out your blog, now that I know it exists and cool stuff like this can be found there!
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Tabitha (From Single to Married) January172009 at 5:42 pm Oh how true - the power of gradual works in not so positive ways too, like when we suddenly put on a pound and then two, and then a year later we wonder where the extra 10 pounds came from! :)
Melinda January172009 at 5:46 pm Great article. Very well said and thanks for the reminder to take time and keep on working, it all adds up!
Ren January172009 at 5:47 pm @ Ian, thank you for the beautiful post. The metaphor and warm tone really spoke to me. I have been working on eating healthy for a few years now, and whenever I got sad or stressed I would always reach for Hersheys, Redbull, cottoncandy and ditch the workouts. During the past few months, I have noticed that even when I am stressed or sad, I continue to eat healthy and look after myself. After reading your post, I realize that it’s taken years to reach this healthy state. The bucket is definitely full of healthy habits accumulating over time. Keep up the earnest tone in your writing. @Leo Thank you for this great blog & for sharing it with contributing authors.
Erelen Tar-Hiriel January172009 at 5:50 pm Well said Ian! I have noticed the Power of Gradual in my own life right now thru exercise. I used to workout once a week for an hour or two. Now I’ve shifted to 20 minutes per day. As a result, I actually get more exercise done and feel better on a consistant basis! zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Graham January172009 at 6:05 pm What a wonderfully thought out and well-written article. I’m going to be following your own blog too! These days, we’re so conditioned to want something, and want it NOW! I play numerous musical instruments, and I know for experience that 5-10 minutes of practice EVERY day is far better than a couple of hours per week or two. I need to learn to apply that to other areas also. I do like to make lists, and I’ve also found from experience that the best way to understand something is to break it down into its smallest and easiest to understand components. The same is true of any task, I think. Break it down, make a list, and gradually cross off each of those steps. My organizer/declutterer friend Eva Abreu is a great advocate of the 5 minute approach to getting rid of clutter. Taking 5 minutes per day to get rid of a pile soon starts to have an effect. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done - so much so that you end up not doing anything!
Dark Knight January172009 at 6:19 pm Great stuff! We’ve grown to want everything RIGHT NOW! But, if we concentrate on the little stuff each day, we’ll have greater success and feel better about our accomplishments. Peace
my year without January172009 at 7:26 pm It took me a year to gradually stop having huge sugar cravings. Though I quit sugar cold turkey, the effects of doing that have been gradual. It was totally worth the slow, arduous process–but I wanted instant results. Even now, beginning my second year without sugar, I zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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am slowly reaping the benefits of something I began in Jan. 08.
Rori Raye January172009 at 9:37 pm I am so into “Baby-Steps” - it feels like Power, it feels like the great results are consistently happening, it feels like forward motion, it just plain feels good to make something huge out of something teeny, to stretch out a moment in time, and feel it through and through. Thank you, Rori
Eboton Jackson January182009 at 12:22 am We tend to forget that patience is a practiced art and that all large single great accomplishments are a series of many small daily not so seemingly great ones.
~Kat~ January182009 at 1:07 am Thanks for the great reminder that many “overnight” successes really are not. It reminds me of something I read that said that a key to success in almost anything is persistence. Many people expect results too quickly and give up too soon.
Natalie January182009 at 1:17 am I was just thinking this very same thing today so it was helpful to see it from someone else’s point of view. Thanks!
Make Money Online Tips January182009 at 9:17 am zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Nice post there. I totally agree. You cant expect to see differences in a day with things. You need to work for some time at it. I usually think its best to be patient, plan and implement things for atleast a few days to see some results.
Sean January182009 at 11:18 am I would just like to echo the above comments regarding the excellent quality of your article. This power of gradual is something I have been aware of for quite a while. However I find it difficult to continue habits that I am trying to instill in a gradual way. Is there a process to motivate yourself when doing a gradual 10 minute daily run or a 2 hour daily writing session?
Johnny January182009 at 5:58 pm It’s amazing how small things done consistently over the long term become significant things. It’s good to be reminded about the power of gradual, especially considering the fast paced, instant “want it now” attitudes that have become so prevalent in modern life. Great post.
Tony | GEARMODA January182009 at 7:05 pm Every little bit counts and things add up!
Shop Counters January182009 at 7:52 pm It’s great to look back and see how all the little things have added up over time. I started a few months ago to list ‘extras’ that I needed to do each week on top of my usual workload. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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It’s these little things that add up and give you great habits and a solid foundation.
Janice Cartier January182009 at 8:09 pm The power of the gradual… beautifully put. I love this imagery. Thank you.
Patricia January192009 at 4:58 am Grat post! I am having a huge migraine due to stress (I have just been laid off my job budget cuts….) and started to freak out. Your post reminded me to take it easy, it will take some time, but I will get back on my feet. Thank you!!
Japanese Elegance January192009 at 5:05 am I know this one all too well. In the place I call home, this concept is called Kaizen, which means gradual consistent improvement. That is how Toyota became great, and that is how traditional Japanese Arts (judo, karate, tea ceremony, kimono etc) are taught, We do the basics over and over, gradually adding each new technique one at a time, practicing that over and over, then adding another technique..and so on. It takes years, but believe me, at some point the movements become automatic and you get good, very good at what you do. Using this for personal change would absolutely have its merit too.
Jared Akers January192009 at 10:26 am Great post. Perspective helps me appreciate the power of gradual. I use gratitude lists to help me keep perspective on how far I’ve come in my journey. After hitting a “bottom” a few years ago, I took on the power of gradual through a 12-step zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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process. A process that revealed to me the power in taking gradual steps to make me a better person, not only to myself, but to all of mankind. Small steps like taking a moral inventory and prayer and meditation have made monumental changes in my life. I view the world differently now, the challenges life has thrown at me haven’t changed, but I have. My perspective is different, and it all started with a decision to take control of my life and do something about it one day at a time. A million little steps add up to a monumental journey!
Patches Colfax January192009 at 10:33 am The above post is the direct inspiration for what mysteriously crept into my head this morning, and since I can’t think of a better place to put it, here it is: CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOR ONLY PENNIES A DAY It sounds like a gimmick of someone trying to sell you something, but there’s nothing for sale here. This new system is free to all! It can help you stay on track with any life changes you’re looking to make - weight loss, muscle gain, keeping a neater house - this new program works with any goal! Here’s what you’ll need: - A jar. - A picture that reminds you of your goal. - Tape to affix the picture to the jar. - Pennies a day. Affix your motivational/reminder picture to the jar, and then place the jar in a place of prominence. If increasing physical activity is your goal, conspicuously close to the television or computer is a recommended location. Then, every time you do something that brings you closer to your goal, drop a penny in the jar. For a weight loss jar: Skipping desert - drop a penny. Exercising for 20 minutes (even a brisk walk) - drop a penny. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Steve January192009 at 11:01 am I just read this article on “The Power of Gradual” in my bloglines account, good stuff. When I got to the end there is an ad showing ripped abs and a heading that says: A body like this in only ten days! Am I the only one that is bothered by this? It saddens me to see that we will take money for something that goes totally against what we believe in. Cash is King.
Bjørn Friese January192009 at 11:36 am Really great article! For the past two weeks I’ve been trying to put aside an hour for learning french every day, this motivates me :) http://frieze.dk
michlr January192009 at 12:13 pm This post made me remeber this book: One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way (http://www.amazon.com/Small-Step-Change-Your-Life/dp/0761129235)
Lisis January192009 at 3:03 pm Ian, this is a FANTASTIC post!!! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve already paraphrased it for friends who just refuse to read the links I send them (old school). I found the one-dropat-a-time imagery so very powerful and reassuring. If I just keep doing something, the bucket will fill eventually. It’s a much sounder strategy than doing nothing at all. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Thank You! Thank You!! Thank You!!!
Stephanie January192009 at 6:04 pm Terrific concept that everyone can benefit from if people are faithful in applying. Readers of the FlyLady know you can get almost anything done in 15-minute increments. Now onto that 2 feet high pile of filing!
Leah Whitehorse January192009 at 7:04 pm It’s as if the universe said ‘Oh she’s off again - make her go read something sensible!’ *grin*. This is exactly what I needed to hear today. I’m very patient with others but so impatient with myself at times. Thankyou.
Ian Newby-Clark January192009 at 9:08 pm Thanks to everyone who has responded to my post. I’m glad that it has spoken to so many. Look for a follow up post in the near future on my blog.
Ioan January202009 at 2:27 am hello Ian, I agree with the story of contributing to something that I am focusing on, in small increments, for a long period. In that way I can reap the beautiful results after I spend time and focus and energy. What I do not agree with :) is the fact that one “should feel ashamed because of not reading Zenhabits regularly”… I have the right and choice to do what I want, and face the zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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consequence of my actions… Are you sure you meant that? :) another I(o)an from Romania ;-)
Marcus January202009 at 9:23 am Not that we did not know this anyway …. BUT it is good to be reminded of it again. Thanks Ian! We need more of those reminders.
Daniel Massicotte January202009 at 12:00 pm Hey, great post. Thanks for that. Those of us with blogs, the power of gradual is important right at the beginning where we don’t have any results (or the results we want to see).
kiran g January212009 at 2:55 pm Thanks for the post, really good one. We always undermine the importance of patience.Without that, we get impulsive and buy things which are not necessary. The power of gradual is nothing but change with patience. Thanks again
Sara January212009 at 8:34 pm Funny. http://www.wikihow.com/Respect-the-Power-of-Gradual Someone copied your idea!
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Bhavesh Naik January222009 at 1:28 pm Great post! Want to add that when something is done gradually and persistently over time, it normally leads us to a breakthrough. We can call it the avalanche effect. The snowflakes gather at a very slow pace for a long time and then… boom. Perhaps the most relevant application to this blog readers is in learning, growth and self development. We keep making small changes here and there about giving up chocolate, for example, and one day we wake up and realize that that craving has subsided or disppeared. Same applies to improving selfrespect, confidence, humility and other human qualities we want to nurture. I think the key here is persistance and patience.
MissL January222009 at 6:10 pm What a poetic and moving article. I think human beings are generally attracted to the idea of Instant Gratification, and in reality, who can blame us? It takes hard work and dedication to achieve grand things, but we forget that grand things are made up of small steps! In this 21st century, where technology dominates most of our lives, it becomes a hard task to slow down and enjoy the process of achieving big things; instead, we’re focused on pressing the “SEND” button immediately. We write thank-you cards only on very special occasions, and love letters have become the thing of the past.
Krystle January232009 at 12:09 pm To Sara Yes! Leo shares his content in the public domain, and we’ve imported several of his posts into wikiHow so we can spread his wisdom. =) It’d be awesome of more bloggers shared their content! http://zenhabits.net/2008/01/open-source-blogging-feel-free-to-steal-my-content/ zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Ian Newby-Clark January232009 at 1:04 pm Hi Everyone: Thanks for the great comments! Just to let you know that there is a follow up post on my blog.
Mel T January232009 at 5:34 pm This post totoally resonates with me, I am in total agreement with “The Power of Gradual!” I’m constantly telling me clients that small things add up to big things, but it can be a difficult concept to get through in this world of wanting everything yesterday! Thanks for this article, it’s well written and timely.
Albany Real Estate February42009 at 11:29 pm Great article Ian. We are such a quick-fix society. Always searching for that magic pill, that panacea that really never exists. Marketers make billions every year feeding on those that are looking for the easy way to lose weight or get six pack abs. The truth is that it takes hard work and commitment to achieve the things we want.
Michael Palmer March92009 at 8:54 pm A refreshing post. I was working with a client today and she was asking about the time that it should take for changes to take place. It takes time to create a dream life and only through consistent action will that occur. There are no quick fixes otherwise we would be able to buy them at the pharmacy. Thanks for the great posts. Comments on this entry are closed. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Even a small drip can add up to a sea of change.
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Editor’s note : This is a gue st post by Ian Ne wby-Clark (Habit Guy) of My Bad Habits.
If you read Zen Habits with any regularity—and shame on you if you don’t—one thing should be perfectly clear: There are no quick fixes. Making change in your life takes time. When you work at something day in and day out, you achieve huge positive change in your life. If you don’t stick to it, your results can be disappointing. No amount of “blitzing” a series of workouts, “cramming” for exams, or “crash dieting” will get you the results that the Power of Gradual can. Try this as an experiment. Make a tap leak ever so slightly—maybe a drop every half minute or so. Put an empty bucket below it. Now, go on with your day. Forget about the tap. Actually, I don’t need to tell you to forget the tap. You just will. Sometime later, stroll by the bucket. Holy heck! There’s a lot of water in there. It might even be overflowing (the author will not be held responsible …). That’s the Power of Gradual. It’s the effect of a small thing happening over and over (and over) again. Compound interest is all about the Power of Gradual. It turns out that there is a fairly easy way to accumulate a comparatively large amount of money. It’s slow, but it works. Put as much money as you can manage into a compound interest account. The earlier the better, so do it right now. Make regular deposits into the account. Don’t look at the account. Make the deposits automatic so you don’t have to think about it. Before you know it, it’s time to retire. Look at the account balance. Holy guacamole, you’re rich! I see the Power of Gradual in my writing too. I write every working day for two hours or so. Sometimes, especially when I’m writing a first draft, the two hours feels wasted because I’ve been doing the literary equivalent of babbling. I return to the piece the next day and rework it. I rework it the next day. Sometimes I don’t even know where it’s going for a few days. All of “sudden”, it comes together. Of course, there’s no “sudden” about it. It’s the Power of Gradual. The Power of Gradual works because, quite simply, little things add up to a big thing if you have enough little things. Given enough time, the steady drip-drop of water becomes an ocean. Given enough time, small regular deposits become a small fortune. Given enough time, steady work at my awful first drafts yields a passable final draft. But here’s the thing. We tend to be surprised by the Power of Gradual. We’re shocked at the amount of water in the bucket, at the size of our bank account, at the beauty of our writing. That’s because we pay a lot of attention to the immediate, the big, the splashy. Examples abound. We notice the person on television who apparently lost thirty pounds in three weeks. We pay less attention to our next-door neighbor. She’s been steadily losing three pounds per month for the last zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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year and a half (54 pounds!). We weep at the death of our favorite actor or a recent airplane crash, but we are casually indifferent to the increasingly worrying news about the AIDS pandemic in Africa. We admire a beautiful sentence and forget the hours of slogging it took to get it just-so. Let us be mindful of this tendency of ours. If we allow ourselves to be distracted by the immediate, big, and splashy, we’ll forget about the Power of Gradual. We’ll cram for the exam the night before instead of reading the text for an hour every day. We’ll go for a big run every week instead of three or four small runs throughout the week. We’ll forget about the effects of eating the same fatty breakfast sandwich every morning … Remember the Power of Gradual. Remember it in your dark moments when the weight isn’t coming off, when you’re poor, or when you can’t think of a way to write something down. Relax. Keep going. It will come. Read more from Ian Newby-Clark at his blog, My Bad Habits, or subscribe to his feed. 18 trackbacks Linkfest « Life of Bubs January162009 at 9:54 pm Turulcsirip - Balazs Bohonyi January172009 at 4:24 am Check out Exclusive Interview: Leo Talks With Tim Ferriss of 4-Hour Workweek « Life of a Beginning Singer January172009 at 9:25 pm Sunday Sparklers (Jan #1 ‘09) « Shine A Little Brighter January172009 at 11:33 pm LifeWiz » Blog Archive » “ ” January232009 at 2:55 am The Power of Gradual « zentiment January232009 at 7:29 pm Look Back in Gratitude (to Yourself): The Power of Gradual (Part II) « Journal of Eddie G January282009 at 1:59 am Nuances « Zigs Adventures February12009 at 3:05 am My booklist « Veritypayne’s Blog February42009 at 1:46 pm Il Potere del Graduale | Carlotta Cerri February42009 at 1:54 pm The Power of Gradual - Young and Frugal February112009 at 12:52 am zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Look Back in Gratitude (to Yourself): The Power of Gradual (Part II) « My reads on life,productivity & happiness February132009 at 11:15 am Carpe Diem » Blog Archive » This and that … February152009 at 7:33 am The Adult Piggy Bank: A Gradual Savings Plan | Fiscal Fizzle February162009 at 8:34 am Change Habits Gradually for Maximum Success — The Rat Race Trap February162009 at 11:58 pm In Just 12 Minutes… | 4-Hour Zen Hacker & Philip Powis March162009 at 7:03 pm Goal Setting - A Man In Full (part 1) | Do You Dave Ramsey? April22009 at 10:07 pm 5 Ways to Fight Financial Stagnation > Fiscal Fizzle April162009 at 1:37 pm 93 brilliant comments
DKumar M. January162009 at 6:21 pm Nice writing Ian, It always helps to paying attention… at least in my case.
Corey - Simple Marriage January162009 at 6:21 pm The power of gradual. Great idea. Let little simple things build on themselves until it’s something big. Would work in all areas of life.
Karthik January162009 at 6:26 pm Excellent post, Ian and thank you Leo. At times, I tend to think about the goal too much and become stressed out that I’m not there yet. Reminding myself about the Power of Gradual certainly helps during such times. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Gennaro @ Enduring Wanderlust January162009 at 6:30 pm Patience is a virtue. Hard work too. I love the idea that little thing add up to a big thing, Ian. I also think it allows us to get thru the tougher times if we focus on the smaller accomplishments along the way instead of always thinking about the big picture.
Relja Dereta January162009 at 6:49 pm Great post. I think an additional good way of remembering the power of gradual is to look back at any skill (e.g. foreign languages, art, sport etc.) in which you’re good at and recall that you didn’t get there suddenly and magically, but rather over a period of time in which you dedicated a small, but significant amount of time to that skill every (other) day. Personal hard proof is hard to beat :)
Bamboo Forest - PunIntended January162009 at 7:01 pm Wonderful post, Ian. And I like that it had no subheadings or lists. It flowed beautifully. I also really enjoyed your metaphor of a bucket receiving drips of water. Thanks for the reminder of the power of gradual.
Ian Newby-Clark January162009 at 7:06 pm Thanks for the great comments. Good point from Relja. We don’t do enough looking back. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Joh January162009 at 7:08 pm This is an excellent metaphor and it will certainly stick in my mind. It’s really a powerful way to imagine this. Thanks for that.
Lindsay January162009 at 7:27 pm This is exactly what I needed to hear today. Making lifestyle changes and getting through the daily routine can make us discouranged and impatient… thanks for reminding me to slow down and enjoy the ride!
jessica January162009 at 7:56 pm some great things to ponder here, and great to see a new contributor on zenhabits, well done!
Dan - Home Calisthenics January162009 at 8:04 pm It’s a simple case of primacy and recency.
Success Professor January162009 at 8:09 pm Great post. I really like the idea of gradual growth and improvement. The interesting thing that seems to happen though, is if you are consistent in pursing the gradual there will be some sudden moments of break through. You’ll be going along drip, zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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drip, drip, and then all of a sudden there will be something that opens up and splash! The problem is most people then think that it’s the splash that caused the success, when it reality it was the long moments of drip, drip, drip.
Very Evolved January162009 at 8:14 pm Ian, Gradual changes/accumulation is very very powerful as you’ve highlighted. The reason we don’t all take advantage of this is actually biological. Our brains have evolved to be exceptionally good at finding patterns and spotting changes. The problem is that it’s evolved to spot FAST changes. A saber toothed tiger slowly stalking through the bushes, escapes unnoticed until it starts to move quickly. You’ve probably experienced a more familiar example If you’ve ever lost your cursor on your screen with a busy background - a tiny little movement will immediately allow you to see where it is. So the powerful slow changes you’ve describe escape without use even considering they are there, and hence we don’t attach much importance to them. Thanks for the reminder to invest in gradual change - especially about writing everyday! Patrick
Yann January162009 at 8:16 pm Nice post. Power of Gradual and Power of Less are interesting concepts. Another one close to it is the Power of Deliberate Practice. It means that we cannot achieve and be an expert at something unless we practice again and again. Looks like making habits.
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Simona Rich January162009 at 8:17 pm That’s what I realised quite a while ago. Whenever I wanted to achieve some goal, I would want to get it as fast as possible. That caused frustration and dissapointment whenever I failed to achieve what I wanted. Then I understood that there are no shortcuts. By taking shortcuts you just waste your life. Therefore I completely agree with you that change does come with time, but whenever it comes, it’s there to stay. It’s like with my previous business. I started it to get rich quick. It worked for a while and generated enough cash, but then it took more and more of my time and eventually I had to get rid of it as I could not maintain any balance in life. This happened because I did not spend time planning before going into business. Selling the business was the price I had to pay for wanting something without putting enough effort and time in. But fortunatelly I understood that and I am involved in a couple of ventures that grow really slowly, but they are to stay for long:) Thank you again for great post.
Nick January162009 at 8:30 pm GREAT article. Loved it. Really can help me me out.
Cammy January162009 at 8:39 pm Great post, one that I’ll be printing and re-reading as needed. It only took me 30 years to learn this concept, but I was finally able to understand that small efforts, consistently applied, yield big results. Once I finally “got it”, I was able to consistently apply some fitness concept zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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and as a result, I lost 100 pounds. Not a quick fix and not a lasting one without continued effort, but a series of gradual changes that paid off.
Vincent January162009 at 8:41 pm The power of gradual will be a great help to ward off procrastination. Sometime people put off doing things that are valuable to them because it cannot provide instant gratification, but the power of gradual will remind themselves that they will have the full bucket of water over time instead of now. Cheers Vincent Personal Development Blogger
Sean of ThinkandSwitch January162009 at 8:42 pm Wow, thank you Ian, this post came at the time I needed it. I’ve been struggling to find the motivation to continue my work on those days it just doesn’t seem to go anywhere. I popped on here because of writers block! Looks like I need to get back to work. Thanks again.
Jiovanni January162009 at 8:49 pm I needed this. Thanks.
Tara January162009 at 9:09 pm Ian, this was a lovely post - your gentle, intimate tone made me feel like you were reminding zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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me directly about remembering it is what we do every day that matters. The Power of Gradual - I think this is going to be a personal mantra for a while. Barriers in the path are inevitable (for instance, I’ve been fighting and then recovering from a flu for two weeks now, which has derailed running, cleaning, etc), but it not those short-term barriers that influence our long-term journey as much as the individual steps we take every day.
Relax January162009 at 9:48 pm I remember there’s a blog slogan: not everyone can get rich quickly, but we can get rich slowly even compounding effect requires the law of power :-) your friend Relax ~
Jeremy Simpson January162009 at 9:55 pm Great Post! Thank you…..
Yak! January162009 at 9:58 pm Following this advise I would also suggest to always START no matter if timing is not perfect, if you don’t think you are 100% prepare…just let that first drop fall… others will follow.
Matt Kreiling January162009 at 10:38 pm Ian, zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Thank you for writing in paragraphs that are sometimes more than 3 sentences long. (You didn’t have a single bullet point either!) Not that short paragraphs and lists aren’t great ways to communicate. It’s just that I appreciate a measured pace that is written to hear, not just to deliver. I am trying to live up to my blog’s ambitious tagline and your advice about writing has really made me feel more secure and confident that it will happen. I am compiling a manual for life, and it can only be written one sentence at a time. Also, Slowness by Milan Kundera. Leo, Your blog is starting to be overwhelming. I have been reading for about a year, and now, even by ignoring every fourth post or so, I cannot keep up. Talk about a bucket overflowing! Please slow down. And for god’s sake, please stop bringing more articulate purveyors of advice to my attention. I have enough. Thank you, -Matt Kreiling
The Daily Minder January162009 at 11:03 pm The Buddha stated that this is how Buddhahood is achieved. Gradual discipline. Great post. Well done. TDM
hatrabbit January162009 at 11:11 pm zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Thanks for the great post! It’s pretty easy to get overwhelmed this time of year with all the ‘New Year’ goals. I found your article a wonderful reminder to just put one foot in front of the other, and keep things in perspective. Cheers, Dave.
Julie January162009 at 11:13 pm This is great for us students who are starting off the semester. Slow is better. Study now - not later. Read now and therefore you will have to read less later. It’s accumulation. Thanks for the post Leo! Julie
ChasingSanity.com January162009 at 11:22 pm I would take issue with the principle that there are no quick fixes. I would agree more if it was stated that there are no intentional quick fixes, which is perhaps what you meant. Quick fixes do exist, when one “awakens”. This can happen via a near death experience or simply sitting down on a quiet shore, taking in the ocean breeze, and suddenly, as if magically, connecting to the Now. These brief, unexpected, unanticipated moments can change lives forever.
Manic January172009 at 1:54 am A journey of a thousand miles is made a step at a time. This old saying (can’t remember where from) is based on the same idea of gradual. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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The key with gradual is don’t give yourself too much time. Every goal you set should be challenging and not too easy. Manic
Amit B January172009 at 3:35 am Simple, Yet Powerful. Initially i use to think why i am not losing any weight (sooner)…. then i realised that i have not gained it in a day….so now i just keep on working out…and gradually i will lose in next 1 year…. After all “Rome was not built in a day”…
Rob January172009 at 4:49 am Patience is something that is learned: you’re not born with it, but you are taught it: by parents, teachers, siblings and all those that you come in contact with during your daily life. It certainly isn’t easy to learn patience, and there are some on the planet that will never master it. But in order to be productive and have your wits about you, patience is a necessity. It’s all about patience, and then focusing your patience into methods of being more productive. Patience lies at the foundation of productivity. Without patience, we, as blind and visually impaired workers, become even more impaired. When we embrace patience, we have the capacity to learn how to be productive.
Small Business Marketing January172009 at 5:22 am I love you metaphor. “The power of gradual” Even a small drip can add up to a sea of change - will remain with me for a long time and shape how I go after some changes I am zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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planning.
Alistar January172009 at 5:24 am A timely post. And just the sort of thing I needed to read just now. I need to lose some weight. A recent health check and discussion with my doctor has pushed this up my priority list. So today I just did the first simple steps in an exercise plan. Not a lot. Tempted to do more. But I resisted. Tempted to despair of ever getting anywhere too, with the apparent slowness of it all. But I know I did it before, and your post reminded me how - by doing it gradually - I just forgot the lessons I learned then. Your post has reminded me of several good things I achieved simply by what you’ve called ‘the power of gradual’ - a tagline I’ll use from now on to remind myself of this. Another key point tho’ was ‘just starting’ as Yak! noted above - an excellent point. Manic’s point about setting yourself something challenging, to be achieved in a given time period, is important. But even a simple challenge is sometimes enough. My goal is currently 3 walks of 20 minutes in the next week. The challenge isn’t actually the walking. It is making it (’the walk’) happen, to schedule, to establish the habit. Then I can extend the habit. Very much in keeping with other posts of Leo’s. And very much in keeping with the ‘power of gradual’. Thanks again. …and yes, like others, I also admired the writing style. Well done.
Relja Dereta January172009 at 5:25 am @ChasingSanity What you’re talking is a whole another thing. I completely agree that there are unexpected events which can incredibly influence you as a person, but the problem with them is that they’re, well, unexpected :). And, generally, they occur rarely. They will happen at some point, and they will influence you, pretty much whether you want it or not. In the meantime, you have a life to live :) And to this everyday life, you need to try to zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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consciously apply things such as Graduality. I’m not really disagreeing with you on anything, I just think that we need to put as much accent as possible on the Power of Gradual. While change does happen with unexpected events, I think most of humanity needs a lot more reassurance that change WILL also happen if you let a little bit of water drip into the bucket every day, so to speak. The Power of Graduality is not getting the spotlight it should. I also think that as you develop yourself, gradually, you also increase the chances of exposure to unexpected events, which inspire you and change you even further. But that’s for a whole another post :)
Addiction Writer January172009 at 6:25 am Very nice Ian. I am in the addiction treatment industry and with addiction recovery the Power of Gradual as you say is immense. Little gains in one addictive area, little gains in another and pretty soon a masterpiece of recovery is born. Thanks for the post.
Miss Attica January172009 at 8:10 am One of my favorite verses of The Yoga Sutras sais that “Practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break and in all earnestness.” That is the Power of Gradual! Thanks for a great article Ian.
Johanna January172009 at 8:36 am So timely. Thanks!
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Nicolai - Happiness Cafe January172009 at 8:44 am I love this ninja knowledge :-D It’s so true to everything - consitency is key to success. And the way you present it in this article Ian is great. A really good article, keep up the good work.
Greg January172009 at 9:40 am This is an excellent article, and observation into human nature. Too often, we get caught up in the immediate. We miss the fact that the true achievers in life (in nearly anything) are those that work hard and sacrifice. They plan and prepare. That’s the sure way to success - in all things. Thanks!
Steve @ Freedom Education January172009 at 10:03 am Good stuff Ian Your story of the “leaky tap” reminds me of what Jack Canfield says about taking small steps towards a goal or target. Here’s his analogy: “Think of driving from California to New York at night. As you’re driving the car, the headlights illuminate 200 feet of roadway in front of you at any time. As you move through the first 200 feet, another 200 feet of highway will come into view so you can see where you’re going.” Jack says this is similar to achieving a goal that we think is way beyond our means. He says, zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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it’s not until we take the first step towards our destination that the next step will be shown to us. And each small movement towards our destination brings us one step closer to our goal.
Jandi Small January172009 at 10:20 am Great reminder, Ian! Love the drip-drip-drip metaphor. Leo, I am enjoying your new book very much. I going to give it as a Valentine’s Day gift to my near and dear ones.
David at Animal-Kingdom-Workouts.com January172009 at 10:42 am It’s always better to do something than nothing. Particularly in the area of exercise, doing a little everyday always beats doing a lot once in awhile. Great guest post! - Dave
Puerhan January172009 at 10:54 am Dear Ian, Wonderful post, I love the message and that the post is short and eloquent. -P
Miss Gisele B | EatSmartAgeSmart.com January172009 at 11:01 am Clark, What a brilliant post and quite timely (may I add). We live in a society of “NOW” - we want it all right now: fame, success, money, talent, zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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perfect figure, soul mate, degrees … but so few people are willing to put in the time to achieve these goals. Rome was not built in one day, yet our society expects things … like yesterday! I think a post like this one reminds us all that by doing things everyday we become better at them, they become part of our lifestyle and in the end we master them. This is my own opinion, but I truly believe that this recessionary economy will force people to look in to their hearts and want to take things a little slower. It’s the desire of “now” that got us into this financial and mortgage mess. Had most people saved “gradually” to buy a house as opposed to wanting a $750,000 home NOW when you earn $50,000/year, CNN wouldn’t have hourly features about how the economy is crumbling. At the end of the day, the only way to master anything is by doing it enough time that it becomes second nature AND that means that it will take some time. Thanks Clark for this inspiring post! Miss Gisele B.
Brandon Hansen January172009 at 11:18 am it seems like every one of the posts here are timed just right for me. I don’t know what it is, but when ever I have a problem with my blogging, writing or something else, along comes a post that hits the nail right on the head. Congrats on a great post, and here’s to the power of gradual.
Bruce Elkin January172009 at 12:42 pm Excellent piece. And good advice. The power of gradual is the basis of “the learning curve”, which takes the form of one of Pareto’s Power Laws, usually thought of as the 80/20 rule. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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The first 80 of time and effort (practice) you put into producing a result will only return about 20% of the results you want. So improvement is gradual. The first part of the curve is relatively flat. But the last 20% of effort will return 80% of the results. As the gradually gradually becomes less gradual, there’s a point where results begin to accelerate. You produce greater results with less effort. That’s the steep part of the curve. It’s like a wave of energy lifting you up toward your desired results. Most people think of the learning curve more like it was a mountain they have to scale, but no, it’s more like a long plateau they have to cross, gradually, until they hit the sweet spot (about 75-80% of the way) where the curve accelerates exponentially. It’s an exhilirating experience!
Geoff Wasserman January172009 at 1:39 pm Success is doing a little thing, a long time, until something big happens. Good stuff on this blog! Thanks. Geoff
Diane January172009 at 1:56 pm Excellent! I need to remember this on 2 levels - the power of gradual for the positive building savings, decluttering my closet, cutting soft drinks from my diet, but also for the negative - eating just a couple of cookies each evening, letting paperwork pile up unattended. The key is to be mindful that gradual changes can make a difference for the good or the bad. Its obviously so much easier to see the big changes, but the small ones creep up on us…
John January172009 at 2:03 pm zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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The ultimate testimony to the power of gradual = evolution.
Harry January172009 at 2:37 pm Thanks for this beautiful post. Baby steps is so important for changing habits, and achieving goals too. It reminds me of something I read about, is that it’s like driving in the dark on the highway, you can only see a few yard up front lit up by the headlights, but that’s all you need to follow, to cover the entire journal, no matter how long it is.
Gilmar January172009 at 3:14 pm Great post - as usual. I, for one, should be really careful about the financial part. I always think “this money” is very little - not worth saving but then…..Thanks!
Elizabeth Scott @ About Stress Management January172009 at 4:50 pm Great post! While I’ve long been a believer in this concept, I love the name you put on it, and the images that you’ve attached to the name. When I’m jogging today, or writing what may feel like Not Enough (it never feels like I have enough time for writing, lol!), I’ll think about the Power of Gradual and the overflowing bucket and give myself a high-five. I’ll also have to check out your blog, now that I know it exists and cool stuff like this can be found there!
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Tabitha (From Single to Married) January172009 at 5:42 pm Oh how true - the power of gradual works in not so positive ways too, like when we suddenly put on a pound and then two, and then a year later we wonder where the extra 10 pounds came from! :)
Melinda January172009 at 5:46 pm Great article. Very well said and thanks for the reminder to take time and keep on working, it all adds up!
Ren January172009 at 5:47 pm @ Ian, thank you for the beautiful post. The metaphor and warm tone really spoke to me. I have been working on eating healthy for a few years now, and whenever I got sad or stressed I would always reach for Hersheys, Redbull, cottoncandy and ditch the workouts. During the past few months, I have noticed that even when I am stressed or sad, I continue to eat healthy and look after myself. After reading your post, I realize that it’s taken years to reach this healthy state. The bucket is definitely full of healthy habits accumulating over time. Keep up the earnest tone in your writing. @Leo Thank you for this great blog & for sharing it with contributing authors.
Erelen Tar-Hiriel January172009 at 5:50 pm Well said Ian! I have noticed the Power of Gradual in my own life right now thru exercise. I used to workout once a week for an hour or two. Now I’ve shifted to 20 minutes per day. As a result, I actually get more exercise done and feel better on a consistant basis! zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Graham January172009 at 6:05 pm What a wonderfully thought out and well-written article. I’m going to be following your own blog too! These days, we’re so conditioned to want something, and want it NOW! I play numerous musical instruments, and I know for experience that 5-10 minutes of practice EVERY day is far better than a couple of hours per week or two. I need to learn to apply that to other areas also. I do like to make lists, and I’ve also found from experience that the best way to understand something is to break it down into its smallest and easiest to understand components. The same is true of any task, I think. Break it down, make a list, and gradually cross off each of those steps. My organizer/declutterer friend Eva Abreu is a great advocate of the 5 minute approach to getting rid of clutter. Taking 5 minutes per day to get rid of a pile soon starts to have an effect. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done - so much so that you end up not doing anything!
Dark Knight January172009 at 6:19 pm Great stuff! We’ve grown to want everything RIGHT NOW! But, if we concentrate on the little stuff each day, we’ll have greater success and feel better about our accomplishments. Peace
my year without January172009 at 7:26 pm It took me a year to gradually stop having huge sugar cravings. Though I quit sugar cold turkey, the effects of doing that have been gradual. It was totally worth the slow, arduous process–but I wanted instant results. Even now, beginning my second year without sugar, I zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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am slowly reaping the benefits of something I began in Jan. 08.
Rori Raye January172009 at 9:37 pm I am so into “Baby-Steps” - it feels like Power, it feels like the great results are consistently happening, it feels like forward motion, it just plain feels good to make something huge out of something teeny, to stretch out a moment in time, and feel it through and through. Thank you, Rori
Eboton Jackson January182009 at 12:22 am We tend to forget that patience is a practiced art and that all large single great accomplishments are a series of many small daily not so seemingly great ones.
~Kat~ January182009 at 1:07 am Thanks for the great reminder that many “overnight” successes really are not. It reminds me of something I read that said that a key to success in almost anything is persistence. Many people expect results too quickly and give up too soon.
Natalie January182009 at 1:17 am I was just thinking this very same thing today so it was helpful to see it from someone else’s point of view. Thanks!
Make Money Online Tips January182009 at 9:17 am zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Nice post there. I totally agree. You cant expect to see differences in a day with things. You need to work for some time at it. I usually think its best to be patient, plan and implement things for atleast a few days to see some results.
Sean January182009 at 11:18 am I would just like to echo the above comments regarding the excellent quality of your article. This power of gradual is something I have been aware of for quite a while. However I find it difficult to continue habits that I am trying to instill in a gradual way. Is there a process to motivate yourself when doing a gradual 10 minute daily run or a 2 hour daily writing session?
Johnny January182009 at 5:58 pm It’s amazing how small things done consistently over the long term become significant things. It’s good to be reminded about the power of gradual, especially considering the fast paced, instant “want it now” attitudes that have become so prevalent in modern life. Great post.
Tony | GEARMODA January182009 at 7:05 pm Every little bit counts and things add up!
Shop Counters January182009 at 7:52 pm It’s great to look back and see how all the little things have added up over time. I started a few months ago to list ‘extras’ that I needed to do each week on top of my usual workload. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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It’s these little things that add up and give you great habits and a solid foundation.
Janice Cartier January182009 at 8:09 pm The power of the gradual… beautifully put. I love this imagery. Thank you.
Patricia January192009 at 4:58 am Grat post! I am having a huge migraine due to stress (I have just been laid off my job budget cuts….) and started to freak out. Your post reminded me to take it easy, it will take some time, but I will get back on my feet. Thank you!!
Japanese Elegance January192009 at 5:05 am I know this one all too well. In the place I call home, this concept is called Kaizen, which means gradual consistent improvement. That is how Toyota became great, and that is how traditional Japanese Arts (judo, karate, tea ceremony, kimono etc) are taught, We do the basics over and over, gradually adding each new technique one at a time, practicing that over and over, then adding another technique..and so on. It takes years, but believe me, at some point the movements become automatic and you get good, very good at what you do. Using this for personal change would absolutely have its merit too.
Jared Akers January192009 at 10:26 am Great post. Perspective helps me appreciate the power of gradual. I use gratitude lists to help me keep perspective on how far I’ve come in my journey. After hitting a “bottom” a few years ago, I took on the power of gradual through a 12-step zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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process. A process that revealed to me the power in taking gradual steps to make me a better person, not only to myself, but to all of mankind. Small steps like taking a moral inventory and prayer and meditation have made monumental changes in my life. I view the world differently now, the challenges life has thrown at me haven’t changed, but I have. My perspective is different, and it all started with a decision to take control of my life and do something about it one day at a time. A million little steps add up to a monumental journey!
Patches Colfax January192009 at 10:33 am The above post is the direct inspiration for what mysteriously crept into my head this morning, and since I can’t think of a better place to put it, here it is: CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOR ONLY PENNIES A DAY It sounds like a gimmick of someone trying to sell you something, but there’s nothing for sale here. This new system is free to all! It can help you stay on track with any life changes you’re looking to make - weight loss, muscle gain, keeping a neater house - this new program works with any goal! Here’s what you’ll need: - A jar. - A picture that reminds you of your goal. - Tape to affix the picture to the jar. - Pennies a day. Affix your motivational/reminder picture to the jar, and then place the jar in a place of prominence. If increasing physical activity is your goal, conspicuously close to the television or computer is a recommended location. Then, every time you do something that brings you closer to your goal, drop a penny in the jar. For a weight loss jar: Skipping desert - drop a penny. Exercising for 20 minutes (even a brisk walk) - drop a penny. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Steve January192009 at 11:01 am I just read this article on “The Power of Gradual” in my bloglines account, good stuff. When I got to the end there is an ad showing ripped abs and a heading that says: A body like this in only ten days! Am I the only one that is bothered by this? It saddens me to see that we will take money for something that goes totally against what we believe in. Cash is King.
Bjørn Friese January192009 at 11:36 am Really great article! For the past two weeks I’ve been trying to put aside an hour for learning french every day, this motivates me :) http://frieze.dk
michlr January192009 at 12:13 pm This post made me remeber this book: One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way (http://www.amazon.com/Small-Step-Change-Your-Life/dp/0761129235)
Lisis January192009 at 3:03 pm Ian, this is a FANTASTIC post!!! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve already paraphrased it for friends who just refuse to read the links I send them (old school). I found the one-dropat-a-time imagery so very powerful and reassuring. If I just keep doing something, the bucket will fill eventually. It’s a much sounder strategy than doing nothing at all. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Thank You! Thank You!! Thank You!!!
Stephanie January192009 at 6:04 pm Terrific concept that everyone can benefit from if people are faithful in applying. Readers of the FlyLady know you can get almost anything done in 15-minute increments. Now onto that 2 feet high pile of filing!
Leah Whitehorse January192009 at 7:04 pm It’s as if the universe said ‘Oh she’s off again - make her go read something sensible!’ *grin*. This is exactly what I needed to hear today. I’m very patient with others but so impatient with myself at times. Thankyou.
Ian Newby-Clark January192009 at 9:08 pm Thanks to everyone who has responded to my post. I’m glad that it has spoken to so many. Look for a follow up post in the near future on my blog.
Ioan January202009 at 2:27 am hello Ian, I agree with the story of contributing to something that I am focusing on, in small increments, for a long period. In that way I can reap the beautiful results after I spend time and focus and energy. What I do not agree with :) is the fact that one “should feel ashamed because of not reading Zenhabits regularly”… I have the right and choice to do what I want, and face the zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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consequence of my actions… Are you sure you meant that? :) another I(o)an from Romania ;-)
Marcus January202009 at 9:23 am Not that we did not know this anyway …. BUT it is good to be reminded of it again. Thanks Ian! We need more of those reminders.
Daniel Massicotte January202009 at 12:00 pm Hey, great post. Thanks for that. Those of us with blogs, the power of gradual is important right at the beginning where we don’t have any results (or the results we want to see).
kiran g January212009 at 2:55 pm Thanks for the post, really good one. We always undermine the importance of patience.Without that, we get impulsive and buy things which are not necessary. The power of gradual is nothing but change with patience. Thanks again
Sara January212009 at 8:34 pm Funny. http://www.wikihow.com/Respect-the-Power-of-Gradual Someone copied your idea!
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Bhavesh Naik January222009 at 1:28 pm Great post! Want to add that when something is done gradually and persistently over time, it normally leads us to a breakthrough. We can call it the avalanche effect. The snowflakes gather at a very slow pace for a long time and then… boom. Perhaps the most relevant application to this blog readers is in learning, growth and self development. We keep making small changes here and there about giving up chocolate, for example, and one day we wake up and realize that that craving has subsided or disppeared. Same applies to improving selfrespect, confidence, humility and other human qualities we want to nurture. I think the key here is persistance and patience.
MissL January222009 at 6:10 pm What a poetic and moving article. I think human beings are generally attracted to the idea of Instant Gratification, and in reality, who can blame us? It takes hard work and dedication to achieve grand things, but we forget that grand things are made up of small steps! In this 21st century, where technology dominates most of our lives, it becomes a hard task to slow down and enjoy the process of achieving big things; instead, we’re focused on pressing the “SEND” button immediately. We write thank-you cards only on very special occasions, and love letters have become the thing of the past.
Krystle January232009 at 12:09 pm To Sara Yes! Leo shares his content in the public domain, and we’ve imported several of his posts into wikiHow so we can spread his wisdom. =) It’d be awesome of more bloggers shared their content! http://zenhabits.net/2008/01/open-source-blogging-feel-free-to-steal-my-content/ zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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Ian Newby-Clark January232009 at 1:04 pm Hi Everyone: Thanks for the great comments! Just to let you know that there is a follow up post on my blog.
Mel T January232009 at 5:34 pm This post totoally resonates with me, I am in total agreement with “The Power of Gradual!” I’m constantly telling me clients that small things add up to big things, but it can be a difficult concept to get through in this world of wanting everything yesterday! Thanks for this article, it’s well written and timely.
Albany Real Estate February42009 at 11:29 pm Great article Ian. We are such a quick-fix society. Always searching for that magic pill, that panacea that really never exists. Marketers make billions every year feeding on those that are looking for the easy way to lose weight or get six pack abs. The truth is that it takes hard work and commitment to achieve the things we want.
Michael Palmer March92009 at 8:54 pm A refreshing post. I was working with a client today and she was asking about the time that it should take for changes to take place. It takes time to create a dream life and only through consistent action will that occur. There are no quick fixes otherwise we would be able to buy them at the pharmacy. Thanks for the great posts. Comments on this entry are closed. zenhabits.net/…/the-power-of-gra…
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