“Do the thing, and you shall have the power"

- Ralph Waldo Emerson, Compensation

It's been over a decade since I last read 'The Slight Edge' by Jeff Olson

I recently saw a podcast and someone said...

..."Sweat the small stuff"

He referenced The Slight Edge and highlighted the fact that the "small stuff" ends up compounding over time into the "Big Stuff".

It's true.

The podcast episode inspired me to pick up The Slight Edge again.

Here are a few quotes that I've highlighted...

"The Slight Edge is always working. For you or against you."

"Do the thing, and you shall have the power" - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Compensation

"The right choices you make today, compounded over time, will take you higher and higher up the success curve of this real-time movie called "your life". The wrong choices you make today, compounded over time, will absolutely, positively and inevitably take you down and out."

It also reminds of the classic Chinese proverb...

..."The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second time is NOW"

This moment we have right now is the best time to start using the Slight Edge in our favour.

Whether it's with our health, relationships, finances, or hobbies.

I also have to keep reminding myself to extend the timeline of when I should expect to see "results" from my efforts.

Instead of wanting to reach the "goal" in a week, or a month, or even a year...

...Im moving the timeline to 5 years, 10 years, even 20 years.

If I'm able to stay CONSISTENT with whatever Slight Edge action over the course of decades, then there's a high chance I'll get the result I'm looking for.

Another "frame" that comes into play is from the book 'The Practicing Mind' by Thomas Sterner where he says...

..."The Process IS the Goal".

If the "Goal" becomes the daily actions I take, then I have a chance to Win every day.

The Action is what I can control.

The Result is outside of my control.

To "not be happy" until the Result is accomplished is a losing game.

By taking Action TODAY, I'm already accomplishing the goal.

Thanks to this book, I'm excited to "sweat the small stuff" again