Think Small

To achieve big, you will need to think small

• Create an actionable plan

We usually assume that when we set ourselves a goal we will probably pursue it with focus and attention, drawing heavily on our slower, reflective system.

It’s a curious and wonderful thing about the human condition that we are often a mystery to ourselves

Think Small is not a checklist.

trengthening your social relationships;

getting healthy and active;

learning something new;

being more curious; and

giving to others.

Practice with focus and effort. If your goal requires you to improve your performance over time, you should remember that the quality of practice is as important as the amount of time you spend doing it.
Test and learn. Once you’ve broken your goal down into discrete steps, you can improve your performance through experimentation – by testing the small changes, to see what works and what doesn’t.
Reflect and celebrate success. Take some time to reflect on what has worked well (and not so well), and make sure you celebrate what you have achieved before moving on to the next goal

This is why feedback that is specific, personal, actionable and focuses on effort over

One is the ‘fixed mindset’, which is a belief that our qualities are set in stone, and results in us continually needing to prove ourselves over and over. When the children in the original studies were praised for their raw intelligence, they were being encouraged to think with a fixed mindset. The other mindset, encouraged in those who were given praise based on their effort, is the ‘growth mindset’, and it is founded on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts.14 Dweck’s enlightening observation is that, although people do obviously differ in their abilities, ‘everyone can change and grow through application and experience’. If you can give praise for effort and persistence, rather than simply for innate talent, you’re more likely to be able to help yourself – and anyone you’re working with – to reach their goals

Ask for help. You are more likely to achieve your goal if you get someone to help you. You may be surprised at how willing others will be to support you.
Tap into your social networks. The networks we are embedded within have a profound effect on our behaviour. There are lots of ways you can draw on them to help you achieve your goals.
Use group power. Band together with a large group of people trying to achieve the same goal, and you’re likely to achieve more, faster, than you can by yourself