Change doesn't have to happen in one fell swoop.
This time of year, we're bombarded with messages about dramatic transformation. Lose 20 pounds! Give up carbs! Quit your soul-sucking job!
But in my 10+ years of coaching people through career transitions, I've learned something... that real change rarely works like this.
The people who successfully shift careers don't make one big leap. They take small, consistent steps. They focus on the next manageable action, not the overwhelming end goal.
It's what James Clear calls the "1% better each day" approach in Atomic Habits: and it works. Small actions might not make headlines ("Man eats chicken salad for lunch" isn't exactly front-page news), but over time, they create radical change.
So ask yourself:
Are my daily habits taking me toward the person I want to be? Or am I spending time on tasks that feel important but aren't actually moving me forward?
Yesterday, I got back in the pool after a month off. Twenty lengths might not seem like much, but I know they're taking me closer to the strong, healthy person I want to be.
As James Clear writes: "Every action you take is a vote for the kind of person you wish to become."
How can you get 1% closer to that person today?