I first learned about the power of the Compound Effect in school as it pertained to it’s impact on interest. I then observed it in action with some of my investment accounts. The most important lesson that I learned had nothing to do with compounding as it pertains to finance.
The most important lesson I learned about the compound effect is the strategy of reaping huge rewards from small, seemingly insignificant actions.
It is NOT about your big actions. It is about the little and constant actions you do daily that will make the biggest difference. Simply put, little everyday decisions will either take you to the life you desire or to disaster by default.
“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once. But I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times” – Bruce Lee
In his book, “The Compound Effect: Jumpstart Your Income, Your Life, Your Success,” Darren shares fundamental principles that have guided the most phenomenal achievements in business, relationships and beyond.”
Reading the book will take you more than the 5 minutes that this #5MinMotivation series means for you to take. However, reading developmental books is one of those investments that done consistently, will reap huge rewards.
“The key is not just in the reading, but in the actions taken once you learn an new idea.”
Do you only have 5 minutes? Then take a few seconds to learn about the key messages from the book.
Here are 25 Key Lessons taken from the Book
- Success is doing a half dozen things really well, repeated five thousand times.
- Consistency is the ultimate key to success.
- Small choices + consistency + time = significant results.
- Knowledge not invested is wasted.
- It’s not big choices, but ones that you think don’t matter or count for much that derail us. You don’t consciously think about it, but these small decisions can really change things.
- What you appreciate, appreciates.
- You have to be willing to give 100 percent in your relationships. Always take 100 percent responsibility for everything that happens to you.
- You alone are responsible for your situation.
- The first step toward change is awareness. The best way to become aware is to measure. Writing it all down is key.
- All winners are trackers. You cannot improve something until you measure it.
- Merely becoming conscious of your actions begins to change them.
- The difference between the number one golfer and number ten golfer is just 1.9 strokes. The difference prize money is huge.
- Start by saving 1 percent of your money each month. Then save 2 percent the next month. Continue until you are saving 10 percent of what you earn.
- The earlier you start making changes the more the compound effect works in your favor.
- Your life is a result of your moment to moment choices.
- The older your habits are and the deeper their roots, the harder they are to change.
- If the nose of a plane is pointed just one percent off course when it leaves LA for New York, it will end up in Delaware once it gets to the east coast.
- Design the life you want first and the business you want second. Most people choose a career before thinking about what kind of life they want to build.
- What is your entertainment vs. education ratio? The top 20% of people spend their time focused on education.
- Any new habit has to work inside your current life and lifestyle. The gym can’t be out of the way. It has to be on the way.
- Momentum is huge. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion.
- When you lose two weeks of work, you don’t just lose the work you would have done. You also lose momentum and that is the bigger problem.
- Who is on your personal board of advisers? Who are the 10-12 experts you get advice from?
- What are you willing to tolerate? If you tolerate people being late that is what you’ll get. If you tolerate earning less than what you’re worth, that’s what you’ll earn.
- There is a difference between learning and studying. Learning leads to knowledge. Studying a topic means you are invested in it and try it out. The world already has tons of knowledge. You don’t need to learn more. What you need is to study, to practice, and to take action on the knowledge you have.
Think about what small actions you can take consistently today that will reap bigger rewards tomorrow. Where will you start?
Our lives can get pretty hectic and it can be easy to get lost in our actions. When we are so focused on what is ahead, we forget to pause, reflect and find ways to energize our minds. These 5-minute motivation posts are meant to give you that recharge. The goal is to give you a 5-minute Vitamin for your mind through quotes, posts and videos. It is also meant to challenge your thinking and inspire you to take action.
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