Book Review: Think Small
Can small changes in the way we think and act significantly affect our goals and aspirations? Behavioural science says yes and Think Small looks at just how to start making those small changes.
Book Summary Notes: Think Small
- This time of year (almost December) some people will turn their thoughts to New Years resolutions. Most, sadly, will have forgotten about them or completely given up come the middle of January or start of February. Distractions and temptations eat away at our resolve until finally we admit defeat and go back our old habits and patterns.
- The nudge theory suggests that we make tiny changes to start to push us in the right direction. These could be anything as long as the result is movement in the correct direction.
- Start small, set a single target for your goal and start working toward it. Don’t make it to hard or complex to achieve. Once you’ve ticked it off you can expand it. So lose 20kg becomes lose 5kg which then expands to 10, 15 and finally the 20 that you initially wanted.
- Make sure your setting the right goals and be sure your goals make you happy and are achievable.
- Use simple rules to get yourself to your goals. Humans tend to gravitate towards simplicity given a choice so make sure your goals, processes and habits all follow this same structure. Keep them simple.
- The more complex the rules the less likely you are to adhere to them. This is illustrated well in diets but applies to many other goals people may set for themselves. Focus on small, easy changes.
- Harness the power of peer pressure to help you achieve your goals. For some people it can be extremely motivating to have someone to be accountable to. Test it out and let a close friend know you’d like them to help keep you accountable and possibly even ask them to help you assess your progress as you go. One of the reasons a personal trainer at the gym can be so effective is this exact reason, they make you accountable.
- Make sure to reward and incentivise the right behaviour. Try stringing the habit you’d like to establish either before or straight after an existing habit. A silly but effective example would be tying video games and exercise. Grab a treadmill or walk on the spot and make that the only time you can play games. Watch how many steps you all of a sudden start racking up.
- Humans are very social creatures. To give yourself a boost hang around others that enjoy the same thing. Join a club or use meetup.com. By surrounding yourself with the right people you make achieving your goals much easier.
