Achieving All Your Goals One Simple Step at a Time!

Book Review: "The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy"

The underlying premise of Darren Hardy's The Compound Effect is that the routine choices we make, when compounded over long periods, form habits which exert outsized control over our lives. In other words, seemingly little decisions such as to eat a cookie or watch TV "add up" over time the same what that savings account interest when compounded over years can add up to a significant sum. Hardy believes that for us to achieve our individual goals we need develop new positive habits to replace the existing ones that are keeping us back. For example, reading a little more each day at the expense of watching television -- even 15 minutes a day of this when applied to a year would add up to several books. Seasoned dieters know this trick and Hardy uses the example of cutting out just 125 calories a day when applied to 31 months would equate to over 33 pounds lost in the typical person.
The most important steps are to first write down the goals you want to achieve, then list the reasons (or habits) that are keeping you from accomplishing them, as well as to accept total responsibility for your situation. Once accomplished you can begin........
a campaign to change the underlying and habitual behavoir you want to modify. Of course habits aren't easy to change -- often because the payoff or instant gratification from bad habits seems to outweigh what your rational mind knows are the long-term consequences.
 (For example, eating a cookie tastes good now and only over a long period does eating too many cookies present a problem. Of course eating a single cookie isn't really a bad thing, it's the habit of eating cookies that is.)
One strategy for having the willpower to go without those things that we would like (such as cookies) is to constantly remind yourself why you are doing it. For example, going to networking events might be uncomfortable for some, but by reminding yourself that over 60% of jobs are filled because of personal recommendations it becomes a little easier to muster up the energy to do it. The more important the reasons for doing something the easier it will be to do it. Other tactics include making your goals public and garnering support of friends and family.
The Compound Effect is a quick and easy read. It's provides a solid foundation for anyone who wants to make changes but is uncertain where to start.
By it now at Amazon.co.uk