DISCLAIMER: THERE ISN'T ANYTHING MUCH WRITTEN IN THIS THAT YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW. INSTEAD OF WASTING THE NEXT 15 MINS OF YOUR LIFE, JUST GO ON WITH IT. WELL IN CASE YOU WANT TO WASTE IT ANYWAY, DO NOT READ ANYTHING IN BRACKETS OR IN RED TEXT, THAT'S A BIT OUT OF CONTEXT USUALLY MY MIND OFF RAMPING. IT WILL SAVE YOU SOME TIME TO DO MORE IMPORTANT THINGS. (SOMETIMES IT'S GENUINE LINKS TO ARTICLES WITH MORE INFO SO READ AND CLICK IT).
Imagine this: You have a chessboard in front of you. It's a standard board, 8x8 squares, 64 in total. Now, you decide to play a little game. On the first square, you place one grain of rice. On the second square, you double it and place two grains. On the third square, you double it again, placing four grains, and so on. At first, it seems like nothing impressive.
By the 10th square, you've got like what 512 grains? Meh...still manageable. By the 20th square? You're at 524,288 grains, okay...And by the time you hit the 64th square? You’ve got a mind-blowing number: 18,446,744,073,709,551,615 grains of rice. Let me give you some perspective, that is enough rice to give everyone on earth about twenty eight 2kg bags of rice which is a rice meal everyday for the whole year. (NB: this calculation was made on various estimations like approx. 8 billion people on earth and 0.025g per grain and, never mind I will drop the calculation down below for the nerds, we are not here for that).
This my friends is what I call the compound effect, and it has nothing to do with solving world hunger, leave Elon Bezos or Warren Zuckerberg to deal with that.
It has something to do with...
It’s the tiny, seemingly insignificant actions we take every day that create monumental changes over time. Imagine eating one donut a day for 10 years (hello, donut belly), versus swapping that donut for an apple (hello, abs you didn’t know you had, I mean with an hour or two in the gym obviously). That’s the Compound Effect in action.
To quote Darren Hardy (the guy who literally wrote one of the best books The Compound Effect):
"Small, smart choices + consistency + time = RADICAL DIFFERENCE."
Basically, the stuff you’re ignoring today (like skipping that extra hour of Instagram scrolling) might actually be the difference between you becoming the next Steve Gates… or, you know, not. Because the principle is true and fair meaning,
"Small, poor choices + consistency + time = VERY RADICAL DIFFERENCE."
The Bible Had It Figured Out, Too
Matthew 25:29 (NIV) says:
"For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance."
It’s like God’s way of saying, “Hey, take care of the little things, and watch how they amount to big things.” Even yeast gets a shoutout for its compounding powers in Matthew 13:33. A little yeast works its way through a whole batch of dough, just like tiny actions can knead their way into something magnificent.
The Great Wall Wasn’t Built in a Day
You know what else embodies the Compound Effect? The Great Wall of China. Over 2,300 years ago, someone decided to slap a brick on the ground. (under the instruction of someone in authority I presume he (she) din't just randomly pick up the brick). Not impressive. Then another brick. Then another. Fast forward through centuries of persistence, and now it’s a 21,196 km masterpiece. (Meanwhile, some of us can’t even commit to a 21-day fitness challenge.) Become the someone in authority.
Domino Effect
Okay, Math, Philosophy, Bible, History, still need more convincing? (that your seemingly small insignificant choice are burying you to your death faster than the GMOs).Well science backs this up, too. Ever heard of the Domino Effect? Push one domino, and it can knock over another domino 1.5 times its size. By the 29th domino, you’re toppling the height of Mount Everest. (Crazy, right?) Small beginnings lead to monumental impacts. Here is an illustration below;
So whether it’s saving money. That's a tough one, for me at least definitely not my lis sis shout out to her! Here is her illustration below,
So it could be about building habits, or starting that side hustle, just know that your first "domino" might not feel like much. But trust me, you’re setting up SOMETHING BIG.
How Do You Use This Superpower?
Great question. Let’s get practical for a second.
1. Start Small, Stay Consistent
Number 1 Don’t go full Usain Bolt on day one. Start tiny. Want to write a book? Write 100 words a day, or 4 just write 4 words 'Once upon a time'. Want to run a marathon? Jog around the block first. The trick isn’t doing a lot, it’s doing a little, consistently.
2. Track Your Progress
Journal it. Spreadsheet it. Tattoo it (maybe don’t, I hear those are permanent). Seeing your progress keeps you motivated. When those R10 interest chunks turn into R816 in just 5 years you’ll understand why.
3. Surround Yourself With Momentum
Hang with people who’ve mastered the Compound Effect. You know the type—the ones who’ve been hitting the gym for years and now look like Greek statues. Energy is contagious, so catch the right vibe.
Final Thoughts: The Butterfly and the Compound
Let’s not forget our buddy from yesterday, the Butterfly Effect. Pair that with the Compound Effect, and you’ve got the ultimate tag team. Every small action, whether taking the stairs, or smiling at a stranger (not in South Africa) has the potential to ripple out in ways you can’t even imagine.
So flap those wings, invest in that small thing today, and let the compounding magic unfold. It’s not just about the big wins; it’s about the tiny steps that build the staircase to success.
Flap! Flap! Stack! Stack! This is what we do now.
References:
Coming Soon, spent too much time calculating and drawing today.
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