The Power of Small Changes

For most of the 20th century, British cycling was a disaster. In 100 years, they won only one gold medal. Not a single Tour de France. Coaches came and went, but the results didn’t change.

Then everything changed. In 2003, they hired a new coach: Dave Brailsford.His philosophy? “The aggregation of marginal gains.”Instead of looking for one big breakthrough, he focused on tiny, 1% improvements everywhere:

• redesigned bike seats for comfort

• rubbed alcohol on tires for better grip

• taught riders how to wash hands properly to avoid colds

• tested the best pillows and mattresses for sleep

• experimented with massage gels for faster recovery

These small changes accumulated.

The results shocked the world:

• 2008 Beijing Olympics → British cyclists won 60% of gold medals

• 2012 London Olympics → 9 Olympic records and 7 world records

• 2007–2017 → 178 world championships, 66 Olympic/Paralympic golds, and 5 Tour de France victories

Lesson: Champions are not made by one big action, but by small improvements every day.

1% Better Every Day

Most people wait for a “magic moment” to change their life. But change doesn’t come from one event. It comes from daily habits.

If you improve by just 1% every day → after one year, you are 37 times better.

“Successful people do daily what unsuccessful people do occasionally.” – John Maxwell

How to Build Habits: BJ Fogg’s Formula

Dr. BJ Fogg from Stanford University created a simple formula for behaviour:

B = M + A + T(Behaviour = Motivation + Ability + Trigger)

• Motivation: Why do I want this? (Pleasure or pain)

• Ability: Can I make it simple? (If it’s too hard, I’ll quit)

• Trigger: What will remind me? (Calendar, alarm, environment cues)

Example: Habit of exercising:

• Motivation: I know it improves my energy, mood, and work performance.

• Ability: Start small—even 5 minutes counts.

• Trigger: Put clothes in a gym bag, schedule the workout, prepare in advance.

The Bamboo Tree

When you plant a bamboo tree, for 5 years… nothing happens. You water it, nurture it, but see no results.Then, in the 5th year, it suddenly grows 24 meters in just 6 weeks.

Habits are the same. You don’t always see progress immediately, but if you stay patient, persistent, and consistent → growth will come.

Final Thought

Big results are rarely the outcome of one big action. They are built through small, consistent steps.

So the question is: What’s one small 1% change you can start today that, over time, will transform your life?