When tackling big, audacious goals, you don’t need big, audacious actions. All you need is the contagious magic of micro-actions.

Let me give you an example.

When I travel, I often don’t feel like exercising, even though I know I’ll feel way better if I
do. So, in the morning, I don’t commit to a program to lose 12 pounds in twelve days or promise myself to run for 40 minutes. I just put on my gym clothes.

That’s it.

And then, since my gym clothes are on, I almost always decide to just walk to the gym and take a look.

What happens next is what almost always happens when I step into a gym: I see the bikes and think, “I bet it will feel good to get on one of those for a few minutes.” So I do.

And other exercises naturally follow that.

After I exercise, I think, “Man, it would feel great to stretch,” so I do that, too. And then, since I’m on a roll, I decide to eat a healthy breakfast instead of sugary garbage. Later at work, I’m extra productive since my body feels great.

See what I mean about contagious?

There’s a reason 80% of New Year’s Resolutions fail. The problem isn’t the goals, it’s the way we go about trying to tackle them. We try to go big and burn out, forgetting that “slow and steady wins the race.”

The magic here is in breaking down big, hard, sometimes even scary goals into attainable pieces. Find something small and attainable you can do, start there, and let the contagious magic of micro-actions do the rest.

Long-term readers know we read The Wall Street Journal regularly. Those same readers know we are after something more than the earnings reports and IPO news – enduring wisdom when we can find it. In particular, we’re fans of columnist Jason Gay. His latest piece is a masterful application of satire. In it, he’s poking fun at how frenetic today’s world is training us to become. The subtext? Be a contrarian. Slow down. Pay close attention. Reflect. Then respond. In short, take the long view. See what you think.

“Freaking out—as in freaaaaaaaking ouuuuttt!!!—is now an industry and national pastime, as routine as a lakeside sunrise over Door County. Perspective, equilibrium, inner calm—those are the habits of suckers. Today we freak out about the slightest disruptions to our daily routines; We freak out about cynical provocations on social media; We freak out over a daily buffet of micro-controversies so meaningless they’re usually forgotten within 36 hours… Nobody gets clicks and famous for taking a long view; hell has to be served in a handbasket, preferably with a clever baiting headline. If you haven’t freaked out about at least three things you’ve read by 9 a.m., you’re not doing it correctly.”

Tammira Philippe is the embodiment of the American dream. The first in her family to go to college and now the President and CEO of Bridgeway Capital Management, Tammira has paved a purposeful path for herself and her organization. Hear her conversation with Matt. Listen on Apple or click below.

Read the full transcript here.