Whenever we’re starting something new, we need to start small. Engaging in the process of learning must begin with the first step.

None of this is profound. Except, it’s a good reminder because I don’t build my habits, pursue my goals, work towards a result because I’m still thinking too big.

I’m reading a book on neuroplasticity. It’s the ability for the brain to adapt to it environment and change it’s wiring to better suit its surroundings. It’s the ability of learning. 

When we learn something new, our brain has to rewire its connections between neurons in the brain to create a connection between what we know and what we don’t know. Eventually, what we didn’t know becomes what we do know, and then we’re able to move on. That’s learning.

And learning starts small.

In his book, The Brain that Changes Itself, by Norman Doidge, M.D., he shares a story of a man in his 50’s who suffered a stroke. Post-mortem, they learned that he had a lesion in his spinal cord, causing the man to lose his ability to walk, read, and talk. At the time, the doctors and rehabitlation specialists condemned him to his disability.

But his son tried something different.

All he knew was babies learned to walk by first crawling. And they learning crawling by scooting. And scooting by rolling and slithering. They learned spatial concepts by trying to grab toys, and watch balls roll by. It was elementary, and yes, sometime humiliating to work his dad this way, but eventually, his dad learned everything he needed and so much more. By the end of his life he was teaching a New York college and went on hikes in South America.

Post mortem showed the lesion never healed. 

But his brain adapted and changed.

He learned. He learned by starting really small. Instead of trying to start walking, he learned by scooting and army-crawling.

How much more so, should we when we start something new, start small. 

There’s a Jewish proverb that speak to not despising the day of small beginnings. Our culture praises the great accomplishments and achievements in our areas of expertise, so it can make it especially challenging when we’re learning something new and we’re not the expert on day 2. Very few people are ever the expert on day 2. But they are experts after a life dedicated to their field of curiosity. They are always learning, and eventually begin to be seen as that expert.

Malcolm Gladwell talks about the 10,000 rule in his book, Outliers. How does one get to 10,000 hours?

They start with one minute.

What will it take to get to 10,000 hours going minute by minute? Keep showing up, keep writing, keep lifting weights, keep reading.

As you keep doing what you’re doing, and the minutes turn into hours, hours into days, you’ll make that 10,000 hours. You’ll be surprised to see that what began so small is now a mountain built up taking you to new heights.

James Clear talks about the 2 minute rule in his book Atomic Habits. He talks about taking our goals, or our habits, and breaking them down into something that can be done in 2 minutes. Obviously, that’s not the whole goal, but when we start with just 2 minutes, we’re doing something even more important: we’re showing up. You can do something for 2 minutes, and over time realize, you’re able to go longer. By doing whatever you’re doing for 2 minutes, it’s changing you and reminding you, you’re capable of doing something small. And eventually it grows.

Today, I didn’t know what I would write. But I sat down and said, just write for 2 minutes.

Six hundred words and 20 minutes later, I’m closer to achieving my goal of growing my skill in writing than when I first began.

What can you do today to start small?

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