Have you ever set a big, exciting goal, only to lose motivation a few weeks later? If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or frustrated by the effort it takes to make a significant change, you are not alone. We often believe that to change your life, we need a massive burst of willpower. But what if there was an easier, lazier way?
The secret is to start with actions that are so small, they are “too-small-to-fail.” This is a core concept from my guide, The Laziest Way to Change Your Life, and it’s a powerful way to build momentum without burning out.
Why Relying on Willpower Doesn’t Work
We’ve all been there. We decide to start exercising for an hour every day or to write 1,000 words for our new book. But when we’re tired or busy, these big goals feel impossible, and it’s easy to just skip a day. This is the “willpower myth” in action—the belief that we can force ourselves into new behaviors. In reality, willpower is a limited resource.
The “too-small-to-fail” method bypasses the need for willpower entirely to change your life. It focuses on building consistency with actions that require almost zero effort.
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5 ‘Too-Small-to-Fail’ Habits You Can Start Today
Here are five examples of how you can apply this method to change your life, starting right now.
1. The Big Goal: Exercise Consistently
- The ‘Too-Small-to-Fail’ Habit: Do just one push-up (or one squat, or one sit-up).
- Why it works: Anyone has the time and energy for one push-up. The goal isn’t the workout; it’s becoming the type of person who never misses a day. Often, once you start, you’ll do more.
2. The Big Goal: Meditate to Reduce Stress
- The ‘Too-Small-to-Fail’ Habit: Sit down and take one conscious, deep breath.
- Why it works: The hardest part of meditating is getting started. This action takes only a few seconds, but it builds the foundation of a daily mindfulness practice.
3. The Big Goal: Read More Books
- The ‘Too-Small-to-Fail’ Habit: Read one page of a book.
- Why it works: The thought of reading a full chapter can be daunting on a busy day. But anyone can read a single page. This keeps the story fresh in your mind and makes it easy to continue the next day.
4. The Big Goal: Keep Your Home Tidy
- The ‘Too-Small-to-Fail’ Habit: Put one item back where it belongs.
- Why it works: Cleaning the entire house is a massive project. But putting away a single misplaced book or dish takes no time and slowly builds the habit of being a tidy person.
5. The Big Goal: Learn a New Skill
- The ‘Too-Small-to-Fail’ Habit: Open your learning app or textbook for just one minute.
- Why it works: It removes the pressure of having a long study session. By simply opening the material, you are reinforcing your identity as a learner and making it easier to engage with the content.
The Laziest Way to Change Your Life
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The Young Humanitarians Handbook
Want to Learn More Lazy-but-Effective Techniques?
These five habits are just the beginning. If you’re tired of the cycle of setting and abandoning goals, my guide, The Laziest Way to Change Your Life, is for you.
Inside, you’ll discover the complete system for effortless change, including:
- The 3-Part ‘Habit Loop’ that governs your daily actions.
- “Habit Stacking” to make good behaviors automatic.
- A menu of 50 life-changing habits you can implement today.
You don’t need more motivation to change your life; you need a better strategy. Start with one page, one push-up, or one deep breath. Start today.
