The Compound Effect: Small Choices Matter

This month, I'm reading The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. If you haven't read it before, I highly recommend it! He gives a great example of how seemingly small choices in life really do matter. This morning, I'd like to share that example with you. I'm only giving a summary... you'll have to read the book for the whole picture :)

To best understand the compound effect, let's take three friends who all grew up together. Let's assume they all live in the same neighborhood, with very similar sensibilities. Each makes around the same amount of money per year, all are married, all of average health and body weight.

Friend #1 - Larry, keeps doing what he's always done
Friend #2 - Scott, starts making small, seemingly inconsequential, positive changes. He begins reading 10 pages of a good book per day and listening to 30 minutes of something inspirational on his way to work. He also cuts 125 calories from his diet each week (maybe a cup of cereal less or trading soda for seltzer).
Friend #3 - Brad - recently bought a new big screen TV to watch more of his favorite programs. He's been trying out some of the decadent recipes he's seen on the Food Network and he added one soda per week to his diet.

At the end of 5 months, no perceivable differences exist among the three friends. At the end of ten months, we still can't see any noticeable changes, but at the end of two years, we start seeing really measurable, visible differences, and by month 31, the change is startling. Brad is fat while Scott is trim. By simply cutting 125 calories a day, in 31-months, Scott has lost 33 pounds!

31 months = 940 days
940 days x 125 calories = 117,500 calories
117,500 calories / 3,500 calories per pound = 33.5 pounds!

Brad ate only 125 more calories per day, and he now weighs 67 pounds more than Scott. That extra food makes him sluggish at night. He wakes up a little groggy, which makes him cranky. The crankiness and sleep-deprivation begin to impact his work performance. By the end of the day, his energy level is way down. This makes him reach for more comfort food (stress has a way of doing that!). This lack of energy also makes him less likely to take walks with his wife like he used to - he just doesn't feel like it. With fewer shared activities and an absence of fresh air and exercise, Brad's not getting the endorphin release that used to make him feel so upbeat and enthusiastic. As he gains weight, he feels less self-confident. You see how this compounds?

But the differences are more significant than that. Scott has now invested almost 1,000 hours reading good books and listening to inspirational audios. By putting this knowledge into practice, he's earned a promotion and a raise. Best of all, his marriage is thriving!  And Larry? He's pretty much in exactly the same spot, except now he's a little more bitter about it.

The crazy thing about the compound effect is that it is simple! It's a small ripple effect. The great thing is, we can make small changes each day that will have positive ripple effects on our lives. A 10-minute walk, passing up that soda at lunch, reading a short devotional each morning, switching the station to positive, uplifting music. These seemingly small and insignificant actions over time will lead to significant, substantial results!

What's one thing you can start or stop doing this week that could benefit you?