Big vs small choices

Overheard today:

“You don’t get to your dream through ONE BIG CHOICE. You get there through a sum of small choices made in one big direction.”

I think we need both. It’s not one or the other. it’s not mutually exclusive. It’s not habits without goals, or goals without habits. Both are necessary. Neither alone is sufficient.

The only problem is when we think one big choice is sufficient. It isn’t.

You can make declarations to launch your product by a deadline. Get to $1,000,000 revenue in 12 months. Or exit as a billionaire.

All worthy and good, inspiring and aspiring.

But goals are just daydreams of the future made in the present. And they count for naught when action is lacking.

Actions speak louder than words.

“Your actions speak so loud I can’t hear what you say.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ultimately, your everyday small choices are the daily affirmations of that one big choice you made in the past. The daily actions that bring you towards that supposed future.

But small choices alone isn’t all-powerful either. In the wrong direction, habits are useless. When done without a deep why, it’s just ‘busy’ work masquerading as productivity.

I like James Clear but if you listen too much to him talk about Atomic Habits, you might think that habits are all that matter. Utter BS.

An oar is useless without a rudder.

The best stance I can think of:

• Make a form commitment, a big choice.
• Act on it daily, don’t come up for air till…
• Review and course-correct regularly
• Either re-affirm the big choice, or tweak it.
• Act on it daily again.
• Rinse and repeat till you win.

Get out there, kings and queens.