The Power of Bite-Sized Growth

I have written before about the astonishing power of geometric progression from an economic perspective—how small, consistent investments will compound and eventually deliver big returns. It's an eye-opening demonstration of how important incremental progress can be.

The same theory applies to improvements in life that are not necessarily as easy to put a number on. Real success seldom comes all at once and it is not just the big bold measures that drive results. Often, it is the steady attention to the little things that ultimately has the biggest impact.

I wrote recently about the perils of perfectionism, and how that kind of thinking can actually stop many people from ever getting started on the path to worthwhile change. Similarly, I think we often underestimate the value of regular, modest improvements. "Why bother with small changes?" the thinking goes. "I'll wait until I have time to do it right in a comprehensive way."

But you don't have to wait until you can do a complete facility overhaul to refresh your reception area. You don't have to wait for a team retreat event to get your team aligned when you can gather for a lunch break any day and watch a video lesson together. Maybe you can't reinvent your patient presentation approach overnight, but you can take just 10 minutes more with just one patient today to explain their oral health options more fully. It may not lead to immediate acceptance, but it will plant a seed with the patient, and will give you the opportunity to work on developing your presentation skills.

This is all about taking a "think globally, act locally" approach to your own life. Create a bold far-reaching vision for yourself and the practice, and then take a bite-sized approach to getting there. Commit to learning something new and doing something a little better every day. These "little things" don't just add up; over time, they multiply and create a momentum of their own.