The compound effect.

I've started reading The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy (publisher of SUCCESS magazine.)  I'm only just starting chapter 2 but I'm loving it.  The idea behind the compound effect is almost self explanatory.  You make LITTLE changes in your life and you stick with them.  With time, these little changes add up and make a BIG difference.  It gave a number of examples - one using a penny, one using a set of friends.  That one was good.

3 friends - one does nothing to change his life, just keeps on keeping on and complains a bit about the things he doesn't like.  Another makes little changes daily - cuts out a teensy bit of calories each day (like, one cup of cereal less, one soda traded for seltzer water and/or using mustard instead of mayo), listens to inspirational audio tapes on his way to work, reading a couple pages in a good book each day and walking a little under a mile each day.  The last friend sort of goes the opposite route of the 2nd and also makes small changes but not necessarily the RIGHT small changes.  He wants to live it up a bit more so he starts drinking one alcoholic drink every day, watches the food channel and making LOTS of recipes from there (which, I completely understand because I LOVE the food channel.  But, most of the things on it need to fall into that treat/occasional category...), he got a big tv so he can more enjoy watching tv so he does that more often.  So, he's ingesting more calories and doing less to burn them off.  Not alot but enough.

Blah blah blah, I'm not going to write out the whole chapter but almost 3 years later, we wind up with friend A who hasn't changed ANYTHING about his life except that the things that bothered him 3 years ago bother him a little more and he's a little bit bitter that the "better my life" fairy didn't come down and make it happen for him.  Friend B has learned so much good stuff from all that inspiration and good booking AND put it to use so he went and earned himself a promotion.  Cutting back just a bit in calories, along with the walking (you know, those LITTLE differences that don't seem like they make much of a difference) after 3 years, he's lost himself a little over 30 lbs!  Just by replacing mayo with mustard and maybe one soda with seltzer water!  And he's so pleased with all his efforts and the good things that came with him that he's happier.  Happier people tend to spread that happiness so his wife, who he compliments often, thanks to his good mood, is happier with him, his marriage is strong, his job is great - he's going places.  And then there's that other friend.  The family loved his new recipes so he kept making them, dipping in a little alone the way, adding extra calories.  This makes him a bit sluggish so he uses that big tv more and more.  He starts to get grumpy, he notices a little weight gain, his mood plummets, he stops taking walks with his wife, she takes it personally and starts to spend more time with her friends, his marriage starts to suffer, his job starts to suffer...nothing good comes of this.  This gives you an idea of the ripple effect that you can get.  And that's the whole point behind the compound effect.  I can't wait to read more and more and find out all about what is involved.  Ch 2 is about choices.  I'm loving this book - it ties in nicely with things I already believe but helps me to understand the why a bit more.  Grab a copy, check it out.  It can help YOU change YOUR life.