PDF Summary:One Small Step Can Change Your Life, by Robert Maurer

Are you eager to make a change in your life but can't seem to make progress due to fear or uncertainty? According to clinical psychologist Robert Maurer, one small, achievable action is all it takes to overcome these obstacles and make change happen.

In One Small Step Can Change Your Life, Maurer unravels why it's often difficult to make the changes you want: Change triggers your fight-or-flight response. He presents simple and effective strategies that will empower you to avoid this response, move forward, and achieve your goals.

This guide walks you through Maurer's insights, which are based on the Japanese technique of kaizen. You'll come away knowing how to transform seemingly daunting goals into enjoyable and attainable ones. Additionally, we’ll expand on each of Maurer's ideas with research, advice, and actionable methods from other psychologists and self-improvement practitioners.

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Sparking creativity: According to Elizabeth Gilbert (Big Magic), questions that encourage you to explore your innate interests can help overcome creative blocks—for example, "What fascination is currently pulling at me?"

Pursuing happiness: Gretchen Rubin (The Happiness Project) recommends enquiring about what genuinely brings you joy—for example, "Do I look forward to doing this activity? Does it make me feel energized or drained?"

Achieving goals: Tim Ferriss (The 4-Hour Workweek) proposes asking solution-oriented questions that mitigate fears related to achieving your goals—for example, "If the worst possible thing happened, how would I fix it?"

Resolving conflicts: Jack Canfield (The Success Principles) emphasizes asking questions that enhance empathy to overcome differences of opinion—for example, "What's one human need this person is trying to fulfill?"

Strategy #2: Visualize Your Success

Asking non-threatening questions will generate ideas for implementing change. But what if you're hesitant to act on these ideas? Maurer suggests that you mentally prepare yourself to move forward by visualizing the steps you want to take.

He explains that visualization is a form of mental rehearsal, readying your mind to adopt new skills and behaviors. It works because your brain can’t distinguish between real and vividly imagined experiences, which means it processes visualizations as if they're actual experiences.

This technique is particularly useful for developing new skills because each visualization session encourages your brain to practice and refine the skills you’re imagining, much like physical practice. For example, visualizing yourself playing the piano can enhance your dexterity as effectively as if you were sitting at the keyboard for a lesson. And, Maurer says, with regular repetition, the actions you envision feel more familiar and natural, which makes it easier to perform them in the real world.

(Shortform note: Research supports the effectiveness of this strategy: Visualization mentally prepares you to take action by activating the same parts of your brain that actually doing the activity would. For example, thinking about your body moving in some way, like raising your hand or taking a step forward, activates your motor cortex, the part of your brain that directs such movements. Imagining a movement primes your body to do it with greater control and coordination. Additionally, the research suggests that visualization makes it easier to take action because it improves motivation, raises confidence, and reduces anxiety.)

Integrate Visualization into Your Routine

Maurer suggests that the key to effective visualization is repetition and gradual progression. He recommends the following process for integrating visualization into your routine:

1. Select a task that you feel nervous about and allocate a few seconds each day to visualization.
2. During each session, close your eyes and imagine yourself performing the task. Engage all of your senses—see, hear, smell, touch, and feel emotions just as if you were acting in real life.
3. Imagine positive outcomes, such as successfully completing the task or receiving a favorable response from others.
4. As you grow more comfortable, gradually increase the duration of your sessions. Then, start to weave in challenges, such as potential obstacles or worst-case scenarios, and visualize yourself managing them effectively.

Positive Visualization Can Hinder Your Progress

Some psychologists suggest that you’re more likely to benefit from visualization by imagining yourself overcoming obstacles (step 4) than imagining positive outcomes (step 3).

During experiments testing the effects of visualization, researchers noted that when subjects used positive visualization techniques, their motivation to achieve their goal decreased, making them more likely to abandon their project. In contrast, subjects who either visualized negative things or thought about the possibility that they might not achieve their goal had higher energy levels and accomplished more.

The researchers speculate that this is because visualizing a positive outcome has a relaxing effect on the body. However, if your goal is to accomplish something that requires energy and action, such relaxation techniques can be counterproductive. It’s better to prepare yourself mentally for the challenges you face so that your mind gathers the strength and stamina you’ll need to face those challenges.

Strategy #3: Act Incrementally

Once you’ve primed your brain for action, it’s time to take steps to make your desired changes a reality. Maurer says that the best way to move forward is to take actions that are so minute and effortless that they seem too trivial to count as progress.

As previously explained, though small actions may seem trivial, they lead to significant progress because they're easy to achieve and build upon one another. Beginning with one tiny action paves the way for larger subsequent actions. This incremental approach breaks down a daunting task into a series of manageable steps, creating momentum that ultimately leads to the change you're seeking.

(Shortform note: Maurer emphasizes how small actions compound to help achieve a specific goal. For example, over time, taking a daily two-minute walk naturally evolves into taking a daily 20-minute walk. Taking this idea a step further, Charles Duhigg (The Power of Habit) suggests that adopting a single positive habit can trigger a chain reaction that inspires a life-enhancing cycle of change. This is because focusing intently on one habit increases the likelihood of positive results, which motivates you to improve all your habits. For instance, committing to a two-minute walk every day—and finding you enjoy how it makes you feel—might motivate you to get more sleep and adopt a healthy breakfast routine.)

Integrate Actions into Your Daily Routine

Maurer suggests that asking non-threatening questions (Strategy #1) uncovers specific actions you can take to facilitate the changes you want. To illustrate how small these actions should be, let's look at examples of initial actions you might take:

• Overcoming self-criticism: After asking yourself "What’s one contribution I made at work today?", you realize that you contributed valuable insights during a team meeting. You write down this contribution on a sticky note, so you can see and remember it later.
• Sparking creativity: Guided by the question "What’s one character trait I can explore further in my fiction writing?", you discover an underdeveloped aspect of your character's Irish heritage. You open up a playlist of traditional Irish ballads for inspiration.
• Pursuing happiness: Reflecting on the question "What's one simple thing that brought me joy today?" helps you remember how much you enjoyed a quiet cup of coffee in the morning. You set your alarm for five minutes earlier so that you can savor your coffee in peace.
• Achieving goals: Upon considering "What’s one vegetable I can add to my meals this week?", the enjoyable crunch of broccoli comes to mind. You add broccoli to your shopping list.
• Resolving conflicts: Pondering the question "What’s one positive intention behind their actions?" helps you understand that the other person might be trying to uphold a high standard of work. You note down one positive aspect of their work ethic.

Once you comfortably achieve your small step, Maurer recommends adding another small action to continue your progress. (Shortform note: If your small actions still feel overwhelming, James Clear (Atomic Habits) provides practical advice for breaking up a new activity into smaller steps: Use the two-minute rule. Instead of committing to an entire activity, such as a 30-minute walk, commit to the first two minutes to get the ball rolling. After that, continue breaking down the activity into two-minute increments.)

Strategy #4: Resolve Minor Issues

Now that we’ve explored how to identify, prepare for, and initiate small actions, let’s move on to another strategy for implementing change: Resolve minor issues.

According to Maurer, tackling minor issues as they arise supports your efforts to implement change in two key ways:

• First, it prevents small problems from escalating into larger, more daunting challenges—for example, addressing minor accounting errors in your business can avert penalties during tax audits.
• Second, with every minor issue you successfully handle, your confidence grows, and this prepares you to handle more significant challenges. For example, addressing a minor disagreement with a friend can boost your confidence to handle major disputes in the future.

(Shortform note: In addition to preventing issues from escalating and improving your problem-solving skills, resolving minor issues can also make you happier. In The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Mark Manson argues that solving problems is intrinsically satisfying and improves your life. Instead of trying to live a life without problems, Manson contends that you should focus on only solving good problems—ones that have a clear solution and that will noticeably improve your life.)

Tackling minor issues is particularly effective when you’re in the midst of a crisis and feel overwhelmed. Whether you’re suffering from an illness, dealing with a loss of income, or going through a breakup, you often can’t rectify the situation with a single, swift action. But if you focus on resolving minor problems during the crisis, you’ll gain a sense of control and start progressing slowly toward a solution. For example, if you're feeling overwhelmed by debt, paying off your smallest bill will provide an immediate sense of accomplishment that may motivate you to tackle the next bill, and the next, until you clear all your debts.

(Shortform note: Stephen Covey (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) suggests a practical way to regain a sense of control when in the midst of a crisis: Think about what steps you can personally take toward solving it. Distinguishing between problems that are beyond your control (like rising interest rates) and issues you can improve or solve (like deciding which bill you’ll pay off first) prevents unnecessary stress that contributes to feelings of powerlessness or overwhelm.)

Integrate Problem-Solving into Your Routine

Maurer recommends three exercises for identifying and addressing minor issues in daily life:

1) Reflect on past difficulties. This will help you detect and respond to current issues that might hint at future challenges. To reflect effectively, start by recalling a major challenge you faced. Then identify any small issues that forecasted the challenge and, based on those issues, consider any steps you could have taken to avert it. For example, if your business failed, one early warning sign might have been a slight increase in product returns. Adjusting your business strategy based on this feedback might have kept your business afloat.

(Shortform note: If you feel tempted to criticize yourself at any point during this step, remember that the goal isn’t to berate yourself for failing to address certain issues, but to increase your awareness of current issues that you can solve. Annie Duke (Thinking in Bets) suggests that you’re more likely to fall into the trap of self-recrimination when you’re under the influence of hindsight bias. This occurs when you know the outcome of a decision, and you’re prone to thinking it was obvious and that you should’ve predicted it. Remember that at the time, the outcome wasn’t clear. It’s only with hindsight that the outcome became clear.)

2) Identify minor mistakes: This will help you address your mistakes, which, in turn, will prevent larger problems from developing. To identify mistakes, think about a recent misstep you made. Consider whether this error indicates a broader problem or has the potential to become a larger issue if left unchecked. For example, perhaps you missed a work deadline, which might indicate bigger issues such as poor time management skills or procrastination habits.

Use the “Five Whys” to Get to the Root of a Mistake

In Principles: Life and Work, Ray Dalio suggests a way to assess whether a mistake indicates a deeper problem: Use the “five whys” technique to identify its root cause. This process involves progressively uncovering why each of the events that ultimately led to the mistake occurred. To use this technique, ask yourself why you made the mistake. Then, ask yourself why your answer occurred, and repeat the process three more times.

For example, let’s say your minor mistake was missing a work deadline. First, ask why you missed the deadline—maybe it was because you underestimated the time needed for the project. Second, ask why you underestimated the time—it might have been because you didn't anticipate complications in the project. Third, ask why you didn't anticipate the complications—you might find it’s because you didn’t thoroughly assess the project requirements. Fourth, ask why you didn’t assess the requirements—it may be because you were overwhelmed with other tasks. Fifth, ask why you were overwhelmed—you might conclude that it was because you didn't update your supervisor about your current workload.

Ultimately, the root cause of your mistake was that you didn't effectively communicate your workload to your supervisor, resulting in you taking on more work than you could handle.

3) Pay attention to warning signs: This will help you anticipate and prevent future challenges. To do this, think of a small annoyance or concern. Consider if it's an early indicator of a larger problem that you might be able to avoid. For example, during a first date, your partner might continuously interrupt you, indicating a lack of respect. You may decide not to go on a second date to avoid more significant relationship issues down the line.

(Shortform note: Chip and Dan Heath (Decisive) offer practical advice for assessing whether an irritation or concern is likely to cause future trouble: Take the 10/10/10 test. This involves asking yourself, “If I choose to put up with this, how will I feel about my decision 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years from now?” If you determine that you’ll feel positively at all three points in the future, then it’s probably not an issue you need to worry about.)

Strategy #5: Reward Your Efforts

Maurer says that you’ll find it easier to consistently practice the preceding strategies if you use small rewards to fuel your motivation.

He emphasizes that small rewards are more effective than large ones: Large rewards often spark intense pressure to do something really impressive to earn them. This pressure can misdirect your motivation, driving you to focus solely on earning the reward. As a result, once you have the reward, you don't feel motivated to keep going.

On the other hand, small rewards don't induce the pressure associated with grand pay-offs. Rather, they serve as tokens of recognition that validate your ongoing efforts and celebrate your progress. As such, they encourage you to engage in and appreciate the process of change—which motivates you to keep taking action.

For example, if you want to lose weight and set a large reward, like a vacation, for shedding 10 pounds, you might focus more on the vacation than on establishing healthy eating habits—which may lead you to adopt unhealthy measures such as crash dieting. As a result, once your trip's over, you won't have healthy eating habits to fall back on. However, if you reward yourself with something small, such as an extra five minutes of relaxation time, for each healthy choice you make, you'll reinforce the process itself. This will help you establish and maintain long-term habits that support your goal.

Emphasize Processes Over Results

When Maurer says that large rewards may misdirect your motivation, he’s likely referring to the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Some experts believe that all behavior is driven by the need to fulfill one of two motivation types: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation comes from your internal self—you take action because you find it rewarding (for example, you exercise because it makes you feel good and you get a chance to enjoy relaxation time). Extrinsic motivation comes from your environment—you take action because you receive an external reward for doing it (for example, you exercise only so you can go on vacation).

Although rewards of all sizes are technically extrinsic, smaller rewards for incremental progress foster intrinsic motivation by encouraging you to appreciate the process of change itself. In line with this reasoning, James Clear (Atomic Habits) argues against setting (and rewarding) big goals and argues for creating (and rewarding) processes that lead to your desired result. Clear believes that goal-setting doesn’t encourage long-term change: You only change enough to meet the goal and then stop. On the other hand, emphasizing and rewarding the process over the outcome, as Maurer suggests, has three benefits:

• Big goals often take a long time to achieve, whereas improving your processes provides immediate gratification and feedback.

• Goals are temporary—if you achieve yours, you might feel like there’s nothing left to do. Focusing on processes gives you ongoing challenges and reinforcement.

• Goals can limit your possible paths forward. Instead of following your strengths and successes wherever they take you, you might fixate on the original goal (losing 10 pounds) and miss other opportunities (such as adopting health-enhancing habits).

Integrate Rewards into Your Routine

Maurer offers four suggestions for integrating small rewards into your routine:

1) Reward your efforts and your results to stay invested in the process of working toward your goal. For example, if you want to write a book, reward yourself each time you complete a writing session, as well as each time you complete a chapter. (Shortform note: Robbins (Awaken the Giant Within) adds that rewarding yourself immediately after you take action creates a pleasurable association with the action itself, motivating you to continue taking that action.)

2) Keep rewards quick and simple so that you can immediately reward yourself after each step, which will reinforce the connection between the action and the positive feedback. For example, take a five-minute break or have a small treat after you complete the action. (Shortform note: Clear (Atomic Habits) suggests an approach for implementing quick and simple rewards: Schedule your steps in between activities you already find rewarding. By doing so, you'll effortlessly integrate the reward process into your existing routine.)

3) Ensure the rewards align with your goal. For example, if you aim to save money, rewarding your prudent spending with a lavish shopping spree would be counterproductive. On the other hand, spending an evening with a favorite book or movie would support your efforts. (Shortform note: While Maurer's advice may seem obvious, many people engage in counterproductive behaviors, otherwise known as self-sabotage. Positive psychology research indicates that people may self-sabotage when they get close to achieving something they want due to their fear of failure.)

4) Personalize the rewards to motivate others to change. For example, if you want to reward your children for keeping their bedrooms clean, you’re more likely to encourage them to continue by thinking about what makes them feel appreciated, such as earning extra playtime. (Shortform note: One way to meaningfully personalize rewards for others is to consider their love language. Gary Chapman (The 5 Love Languages) explains that people understand and express affection and appreciation in one of five ways (words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, acts of service, and physical touch)—and they need to receive appreciation in their own “love language” to truly feel it.)

Strategy #6: Notice Subtle Details

Maurer’s final strategy—notice small details—encourages you to be more mindful of day-to-day moments. Maurer explains that this attentiveness furthers your progression toward your goal by helping you to:

1) Uncover opportunities for improvement. Often, it's the small details that hold the key to implementing meaningful changes. By noticing them, you become aware of habits or factors in your environment that you can adjust to facilitate your progress. For example, perhaps noticing how your squeaky office chair distracts your focus inspires you to invest in a higher-quality chair, improving both your focus and comfort.

(Shortform note: While Clear (Atomic Habits) doesn't explicitly discuss mindfulness, his insights shed light on how it encourages improvement. Clear says that you engage in more than 50% of your daily behaviors unconsciously and automatically—and you can't change these behaviors until you become aware of them. Since mindfulness fosters self-awareness, it helps you become more conscious of when you engage in your automatic behaviors and how they affect you—and this awareness helps you identify areas for refinement.)

2) Enjoy the process. It's common to defer satisfaction until you finally reach your end goal. Paying attention to each moment allows you to acknowledge and appreciate every small accomplishment along your path, which generates a sense of satisfaction in the day-to-day process of change. (Shortform note: Eckhart Tolle (The Power of Now) explains that mindfulness fosters feelings of satisfaction by calming your internal monologue, thus reducing critical thoughts you have about yourself or your experiences. Since critical thoughts often impede your ability to feel satisfied, quieting them inevitably improves the way you think and feel about yourself as you progress toward your goal.)

3) Maintain a positive outlook. It’s easy to get so caught up in pursuing a goal that you overlook potential moments of pleasure in everyday life. Making a conscious effort to be more aware helps you identify and savor these small moments of joy, which enhances your overall mood and happiness. (Shortform note: Mental health practitioners confirm that practicing mindfulness improves your mental well-being by encouraging positive thoughts about yourself, your circumstances, and others. An added benefit is that it helps manage the symptoms of stress-related health issues that can impede your ability to focus on what’s going well in your life.)

Integrate Noticing Small Details into Your Routine

Maurer identifies three areas where noticing small details in daily life can benefit you:

• Your peace of mind: If you struggle with anxiety, noticing small details to appreciate can divert your attention and ease your apprehension. For example, if you're feeling overwhelmed about a looming deadline, noticing the warmth of the sunlight through your window can provide a comforting contrast to your worries.
• Your relationships: If you feel like your loved ones are neglecting you or being distant, noticing the small ways they show care or affection can foster a sense of appreciation and connection. For example, acknowledging your partner's effort to cook your favorite meal or a friend's quick text to check on you can reinforce the supportive bonds you share.
• Your career: If you’re aiming to improve professionally or creatively, noticing small details can help you fine-tune nuances that enhance the quality of your work. For example, paying attention to subtle reactions from your clients can lead to crucial insights about their preferences.

(Shortform note: While Maurer identifies areas where being more attentive can benefit you, he doesn’t explain how to improve your attention to detail. Experts suggest you can train yourself to focus on small details by practicing three methods: 1) Engage in puzzles and memory games. These exercises fine-tune your observational skills by training your brain to recognize and remember intricate details. 2) Focus exclusively on one task at a time. This enables your brain to fully engage and absorb details without getting overwhelmed or distracted by multitasking. 3) Adopt a slower pace. This refines your attentiveness by giving your brain the necessary time to scrutinize and internalize small details.)