I have recently read the story of the British Cycling Association in the book of James Clear entitled “Atomic Habits“.
As the author points out, before the cycling coach and performance director Dave Brailsford was hired British cyclists had won only one Gold Medal at the Olympic Games since 1908.
Brailsford was notorious for believing that improving every aspect of cycling by just 1% would significantly increase success, and he was right. The British Cycling Union started winning races again.
It is easy to believe that success comes from massive action; however, it often does not.
Success is often the result of daily “unnoticeable little” actions. Think of Elon Musk. He failed many times before he launched a successful rocket.
The effect of the things you do every day is multiplied if you do them again. So, their impact can be huge when you look back years later. If you continue to do them every day, which you do today, they become a “habit”.
For example, you won’t be vegetarian if you only eat one broccoli a week. However, it can still mean a lot to your health in the long run.
However, in an era of “overnight success”, we may not appreciate the slow impact of our daily actions, as the outside world only sees the success and not all the actions that have occurred before.
It’s important to remember that success is usually the result of consistent and small actions that build over time.
