I want you to do the bare minimum today. Once you do that, do the bare minimum tomorrow, then do it again the next day, and the next day, and the next day…
It doesn’t take much to make progress on the things you want to accomplish. With most goals, doing the bare minimum every day can put you ahead.
There are activities I would like to accomplish every day, month and year. My goal is to read at least one if not two books a month. I want to post something for ETT and ETT Coffee on social media every day. Ideally, I do something active each day. Lastly, work on ETT in some capacity.
Considering everything you’d like to accomplish can seem like a momentous task. With all the different hobbies, projects, and habits, it can feel like there’s never enough time in the day, but there is. To counteract this pressure, I’m going to try doing the bare minimum every day.
To do the bare minimum will mean something different for each of us. For me it means reading 10 pages of non-fiction and fiction. I will brainstorm one blog idea. I’ll post one piece of content. I’ll walk or do a set of pushups/squats/sit ups. These are the things I’ll do every single day.
Progress comes with time and consistency. Ten pages a day will allow me to finish most books in a month. One post a day is a decent amount of exposure and room to gain followers over the course of a year. One blog idea a day is a lot of self reflection. Each day may not seem like you’re doing much, but think of it on a long term scale.
Here’s the thing, while I encourage you to do the bare minimum each day, you don’t have to stop there. Setting your baselines is simply a way to form consistent habits. If after you accomplish your minimums you feel like doing more, go for it! There will be days where you want to go for hours and some you won’t. Setting bare minimums guarantees you make progress every day.
So set your goals and break them down. What is the bare minimum you can and will accomplish every single day? Set your minimums then act on them. Watch how much progress you make.
November 18, 2022
