Being half a century old makes you ponder on what you have done all these years and is it enough?
Are you happy with what you have done?
Are you able to cope with the future?
Can you make a change?
This blog is about my pursuit to making a change.
I have tried making drastic changes over the years, but it never worked. Then I read Atomic Habits by James Clear and how making small changes helps. He gave an example of the British cycling team of how it went from a nobody to world beaters.
In 2003, Dave Brailsford was appointed as the director of performance. unlike previous directors who came in and made sweeping changes, Dave implemented something called “marginal gains“. Marginal gains is tiny improvements that the cyclists could make over time.
Brailsford and his coaches began by making small adjustments to the team’s equipment and training methods. They redesigned bike seats for better comfort, used alcohol on tires for improved grip, and even tested different fabrics in a wind tunnel to optimize aerodynamics. These small improvements were not limited to the obvious areas; they also extended to overlooked details such as the type of massage gels used for muscle recovery, the best way to wash hands to prevent colds, and even the type of pillows and mattresses used by the riders to ensure better sleep.
The key to the success of this strategy lies in the compounding effect of these small improvements. By improving each aspect by just 1%, the cumulative effect led to significant gains over time. As James Clear explains, “if you can get 1 percent better each day for one year, you’ll end up thirty-seven times better by the time you’re done.” This approach not only led to improved performance but also helped the team to sustain their success over time.
The results of this strategy were nothing short of remarkable. Within five years, the British cycling team dominated the road and track cycling events at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, winning 60% of the available gold medals. They repeated this success at the 2012 London Olympics, setting nine Olympic records and seven world records. The team’s success continued, with British riders winning multiple Tour de France titles in the following years.
The British cycling team’s example serves as a powerful reminder that small, consistent improvements can lead to significant and lasting success. It highlights the importance of patience, persistence, and a focus on building systems rather than relying on single, dramatic changes. As James Clear notes, “time magnifies the margin between success and failure. It will multiply whatever you feed it. Good habits make time your ally. Bad habits make time your enemy.“
Hence, this is my journey. It start’s today. Everything I am doing to make myself better will be listed in these pages.
The day this blog stops, I would have breath in my last breath.
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