The “Too Small to Fail” Habit Strategy

Hello my friend,

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We all know the feeling: setting a massive goal on January 1st only to have the motivation fizzle out by mid-February. Why? Because most of us make the starting line too intimidating. We commit to a 45-minute gym session, a 30-page reading chapter, or a completely clean house.

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The secret to lasting change isn’t superhuman discipline; it’s making your habits so small, they’re practically impossible to fail. This simple yet profound idea shifts the focus from performance to consistency.

Why “Too Small to Fail” Works

When a habit is easy, your brain doesn’t have a chance to engage its internal resistance. Your mental energy isn’t spent debating if you should do the habit but simply doing it.

• It Prioritizes Consistency: The goal is to show up every single day, no matter what. By making the habit trivial (e.g., one push-up), you guarantee the streak stays alive, building momentum and trust in yourself. Consistency is the engine of habit formation.
• It Builds a New Identity: Every time you perform a habit, you cast a vote for the person you want to become. One push-up makes you someone who exercises. One sentence makes you someone who reads. These small “wins” accumulate and rewire your self-perception.
• It’s a Gateway: Once you’ve completed the tiny, non-negotiable step, you’ll often find yourself doing more. One push-up easily becomes five; reading one sentence often turns into a full paragraph or more. The hardest part is always starting.

Shrink Your Habits: Actionable Examples

How small is “too small”? Think of a task that takes less than two minutes and requires almost no willpower.

Your Challenge for the Week

Pick one habit you’ve struggled with and apply the “too small to fail” rule to it. Don’t worry about the results—just focus on showing up for that single, tiny, non-negotiable step every day this week.

QUOTE FOR YOU

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle

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QUESTION FOR YOU

See action item above.

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JOURNAL PROMPT FOR YOU

What habit would you like to start and stop?

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ARTICLE FOR YOU

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VIDEO FOR YOU

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SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY

I do a podcast called Something for Everybody, listen here.

This week’s upcoming episodes:

Tuesday - 11/4 - Soad Tabrizi

Friday - 11/7 - Celine Rouben

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Lots of love,

Aaron

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Shop my clothing brand, For Everybody

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PS Drop a review on Spotify or Apple.

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