Think Big, Act Small: The Power of Incremental Progress
“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” – Zig Ziglar
Many individuals have ambitious objectives and big dreams, but often they become overwhelmed and stuck in the planning phase without making any progress towards their goals. The concept of Think Big, Act Small aims to break this cycle by urging individuals to take small, incremental steps towards their goals instead of attempting to make giant leaps.
Think big, but act small entails breaking down large aspirations into small, achievable steps that one can work on every day. The power of incremental progress lies in the compounding effect, where regular small steps add up to significant gains over time.
In this article, we will delve deeper into the concept of Think Big, Act Small and explore how it can help individuals achieve their goals, be productive, and lead a fulfilling life.
The Problem with All-or-Nothing Thinking
All-or-nothing thinking is the belief that individuals must either go all-in and achieve their goals in one fell swoop, or they might as well not even try. This way of thinking leads to procrastination, feelings of overwhelm, and ultimately, little to no progress.
Many people have set lofty goals and failed to follow through because they became overwhelmed with the amount of work required, such as losing 100 pounds, launching a new product, publishing a book, or starting a business as a young graduate. When individuals focus solely on the end goal, it can be hard to see a path to get there, and this can be an obstacle that prevents them from even starting.
However, when individuals break down the goal into smaller tasks, what seemed like an insurmountable mountain is no more than a series of hills that can be crossed one by one. In the end, the power of incremental progress can take individuals further than the “all-or-nothing” approach ever could.
The Power of Incremental Progress
Incremental progress refers to the idea that individuals can achieve their goals by taking small, consistent steps over time. It is the opposite of the “all or nothing” approach that many people adopt when they want to achieve something significant.
The power of incremental progress is that small steps, taken consistently, can lead to significant results. Consider someone who wants to improve their fitness level to run a marathon in six months but does not currently have the stamina to run a single mile without stopping.
Would it be better to try to run 26.2 miles right now or work on running a few extra steps each day until they reach the full marathon distance? The latter is the approach of incremental progress, where each small step is a stepping stone to a bigger goal.
The compounding effect of incremental progress is also another powerful factor that greatly contributes to the attainment of success. As individuals make small progress day after day, the impact may not be immediate, but will accumulate and compound over time, eventually resulting in an impressive output that could not have been possible through all-or-nothing thinking.
The Mindset Shift
Successful thinkers understand that any big goal requires several small goals or milestones to get to the finish line. For example, instead of trying to launch a full-scale business right from the start that would require an extensive array of capital investment, one can plan for stage-by-stage development that would require less investment and enable quicker feedback from the market.
The key to incremental progress is to shift the focus from the end goal to the process itself. Instead of focusing on the finish line, individuals must place greater emphasis on the progress made towards it. This switch in mindset can make a vast difference in how individuals approach a task and in their motivation levels.
Setting SMART Goals as a Foundation
Setting SMART goals is the first and most crucial step in successful incremental progress. SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Specific: A specific goal is well-defined with a clear purpose, like making “exercise more” into “go for a 30-minute jog every day at 6 am”.
Measurable: A goal should be measurable so that progress can be monitored, like setting a goal of “saving $300 per month and depositing all the saved money into a savings account” instead of “saving more money.”
Achievable: Goals should be within reach and attainable. It’s essential to challenge oneself, but goals that are too lofty or unattainable can be demotivating, like going from 0 to 6-pack abs in a few weeks.
Relevant: Goals should be relevant to a specific area in one’s life that requires improvement. For instance, instead of setting a goal to learn a new language, setting a goal to learn German – specifically for business purposes.
Time-bound: Goals should have a timeline and deadline for completion. Without a deadline, a goal can become a dream without substance, like just saying “I will write a book.” A SMART Goal would specify, “I will write 1000 words every week and finish the book within six months.”
SMART goals can help individuals break down a big goal into smaller, achievable steps. With the SMART approach, individuals can focus on the process while building confidence, momentum, and motivation through small but meaningful progress.
Examples of Incremental Progress in Action
Small progress is more significant than most people give it credit for. Below are some examples of how people have made great milestones through the power of incremental progress:
- Running a marathon: Instead of going all out, a runner can start small by taking regular short jogs that gradually increase distance and pace.
- Writing a book: A writer could decide to write a page or two every day for a year. Eventually, those pages would add up to a book, and the process could eliminate large blocks of procrastination.
- Saving for retirement: Instead of thinking of saving a lot of money, one can work on cutting expenses by small amounts and put it in a savings account. This helps make the process of saving less overwhelming and increases the likelihood of success.
The Common Misconception
One common misconception is that incremental progress doesn’t occur without perfection. The truth is quite the opposite – incremental progress is a hack that often involves repeated failures and mistakes. As people take small steps to reach their goal, it’s inevitable that mistakes and setbacks will occur.
While it’s essential to learn from these setbacks, it’s equally essential to keep moving forward. If a setback happens, don’t see it as a failure but an opportunity to learn about what works and what doesn’t.
This sense of flexibility is one of the critical elements of the Think Big, Act Small approach. By focusing on the process, a goal is more likely to be achieved even if it’s achieved imperfectly.
Conclusion
The Think Big, Act Small approach is an effective way to achieve a big goal. By setting SMART goals and breaking them down into smaller, achievable tasks, individuals can make steady progress while remaining motivated and positive.
The power of incremental progress is that it’s indifferent to size- whether the goal is big – like writing a book or small – like running a mile, incremental progress is still progress. Perseverance and flexibility are also essential elements of this approach.
Adopting the Think Big, Act Small mindset is a starting point to harnessing the power of incremental progress and reaching one’s loftiest aspirations.