The Physics of Personal Change

You know that nagging feeling when your sink's been clogged for a week, you've been avoiding the gym for a month, and you're paying for subscriptions you don't use?

That was my Tuesday morning.

By Tuesday night, everything had changed.

Here's what those unfinished tasks were actually costing me: Mental energy spent remembering them. Decision fatigue from avoiding them. The quiet shame of being "the person who doesn't follow through."

So I did something painfully obvious: I picked the easiest one and just started.

Fitness

I'd been avoiding running due to past injuries. But today I laced up and ran 2 miles. First time I've stacked two runs together in months. Was it perfect? Nope. But I did it.

The momentum hit: After the run, lunch looked different. I subbed out chips for fruit without even thinking about it.

Finances

I finally cancelled that $97/month subscription I'd been "meaning to evaluate" for 6 months. Save some money. Simple

The momentum hit: I automatically set up a recurring Vanguard Total Index purchase for $97 each month.

Fulfillment

I'm not a handyman. When something breaks, I usually call a pro (or even my dad). But today I finally fixed the bathroom sink that had been mocking me every morning for two weeks. No YouTube. No Google. Just me and a toolbox that I didn’t even use.

Then I fixed a wobbly toilet seat too. Why? The tools were already out.

The momentum hit: Fix one thing, and suddenly you're in "fixing mode." The tools are out, your hands are dirty, and the next problem looks solvable.

That's the thing about momentum. You don't need motivation. You need momentum.

As Gary Keller says in The ONE Thing: "You are the first domino."

Here's the crazy part: A 2-inch domino can eventually knock over something the height of the Empire State Building. Not through force—through momentum.

Watch the first 60 seconds of this video if you don't believe me:

That's the power of stacking small wins.

Small wins aren't small. They're compound interest for your confidence.

I've noticed something: The people who seem to "have it all together" aren't doing everything. They're just really good at picking the right first domino and seeing it to completion.

You don't need to knock over the Empire State Building today. I definitely didn't.

What are your 3 things?

Look around right now. What's been nagging at you?

1. Fitness - What small movement could you do today?

2. Finances - What subscription could you cancel or optimize?

3. Fulfillment - What 15-minute task have you been avoiding?

Hit reply and tell me what you're knocking over first. I read every email and love hearing about these small wins that turn into big momentum.

— Jake

P.S. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is fix a clogged sink. Momentum is weird like that.