Minor Details, Major Impact

Many things we do on a day to day basis are done without thinking. We do them so often that they become automatic. This is how we form habits. It’s that simple: when you do something enough times, it becomes part of your routine.

These habits become engrained in the routine and we no longer have to think about them. Often they are big, significant actions that take some time such as showering, shaving or even going to the gym. These habits, while they can become automatic, still take some planning and time to accomplish. They are important, so we put in the effort needed in order to make them part of the routine.

I want to talk about the less significant details in our routines. These activities don’t take as much time and often don’t even require a conscious thought to get done. While the little habits may get forgotten, they still get done. Why do they still get done? They still get done because they are every bit as important as the bigger things, they simply aren’t as big.

What habits fall into this category? The first things that come to mind are putting on your seat belt or brushing your teeth. Neither of these habits takes much time. They don’t require a lot of effort. In fact, you may not even think about doing them at all, but you still do them. You do them every day.

Why do you just brush your teeth first thing in the morning? Why do you put your seatbelt on before you take off in your car? You do both because they are important. They both make a significant impact on your day and even your life.

Health has a major impact on your life too. You don’t have a life without health. The life you do have is not the one you want if your health is poor. For that reason, we spend time discussing options for keeping health where you want it…up and good.

If we don’t keep our health up, we know the consequences. I guess knowing the consequence just isn’t enough when it comes to our health. We continue to ignore advice and refuse to care for ourselves despite knowing what is best for us. This doesn’t make sense to me as we clearly get it in other areas.

It is enough when it comes to wearing our seatbelts. We know that we could end up seriously injured or dead if we don’t wear them. No one wants that. So we wear our seatbelts. We also honor the connection with brushing our teeth and the consequences of not doing it. We don’t want to walk around with green, rotting teeth and breath that arrives before we do. So we brush our teeth.

The key to living healthy is to honor the connection between habits and the consequences they bring. It is always about action and results. Actions yield results. If we want certain results, we need to get in the habit of certain actions. It is that simple.

It is my mission to have everyone saying the following: “I don’t want to feel like crap every day, so I will take care of my health.” Or “I want to feel better, so I will change my diet and exercise.” Even these statements sound simple and obvious when you see them in writing.

What isn’t so simple is the fact that little actions can lead to big results. Just like the simple act of putting on a seatbelt can save your life, other minor details can have major impact on your life. I suppose that means that the real key to living healthy is more than just action and results.

Or maybe it’s less. Less meaning the size and significance of the action can be minor while the impact or result can be major. When you put it that way, it actually makes it feel simpler. Tying this into your health routine is a great way to start moving in the right direction. Sometimes it can feel like you aren’t doing anything significant by making one little choice. Sometimes it can feel like the little things don’t matter. Despite this feeling, they do matter. Every action has a result, no matter how significant (or insignificant) it feels.

As much as it can feel like they don’t mean anything. Just remember that each little thing you do can have a big impact. If you know that (and think about it regularly) it will be easier to keep going. It is easy to forget the little things and their impact, but it will help you succeed. As you continue to do the little things or minor details, you will make them part of your regular routine.

As you know, the actions will lead to results. The more you continue the action, the more you continue to see the results. Even if the actions are small and feel like minor details, they can still have big results and a major impact.

Do you have an example of a minor detail that has had a major impact in your life? Share your comments and help others see how they can progress too!