Would you rather:
A) Take a million dollars today
or
B) Take a job for 30 days where the pay starts with one cent (one measly penny) and doubles every day?
I had a teacher in high school ask me this. One reason I love this thought experiment is that it challenges our instinct to focus on big, flashy goals. Instant v. delayed gratification. The answer shines light on the power of exponential growth. A penny that doubles every day for 30 days becomes $10,737,418.24! At first, it feels like nothing—just a penny—but with time and consistency, that small beginning grows into something huge.
I’ve been thinking about this today as we’ve had some BIG things happen in our world this week. And, I’ve been trying to bring myself back to my world. The one that I have control over.
You see our brains often tells us to that it’s the monumental achievements that matter most. The completion of the goal, the finish line. In reality, it’s the small, consistent things that take us where we want to go. Day 15 of 30 you’d only have $327.68.
Small consistent things over time grow. Whether it’s weekly check in meetings with your team, saving for retirement, riding miles on a bike, or heck flossing. It’s the small actions, done daily/weekly over time, that lead to big results. One penny. One meeting. One pedal stroke. It’s the consistency of the action, the consistency of the effort over time.
“If you can get 1% better each day for one year, you’ll end up 37 times better by the time you’re done.”
– James Clear
One thoughtful action today, one step forward, can have a ripple effect that builds momentum. Small gestures of kindness, a friendly hello, may seem insignificant at first. A quick moment of reflection or a new habit might also seem trivial initially. Over time, it’s the consistency of effort that makes them meaningful and powerful. A hello builds community. Reflection builds self mastery. Check in’s build teams. The key is not just starting, but continuing the process.
My $10,737,418 question for you is: What’s one small thing you can add to your day that will build on itself over time?
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