Marginal Improvement - The Way to Achieve Your Most Ambitious Goals!

How many of us told ourselves that this year, semester, exam, project, or business will be different. I will get better this time. I will improve on certain things. 

We all made these promises to ourselves. Yet we fail to make these promises real. 

I'm not blaming anyone. I also fall into this category of people. Actually, almost all of us fall into this category!

Is it because we are inherently lazy? 

Well, the answer is yes and no. Let me explain.

Our human brain is still very underdeveloped. It still functions the way it used to function in the cave ages!

Our brain works like a binary. It only understands two signals dopamine hit or not.

Dopamine is a chemical that gets released in our brain when our brain thinks we have done something rewardable.

Dopamine is a reward system in our brain.

As a human, our brain has evolved significantly over time, but in many ways, it's still wired like that of our caveman ancestors. 

We may have sophisticated tools and technologies at our disposal, but our brain is still hardwired to seek out things that trigger dopamine releases, just as it did thousands of years ago. 

Whether it's food, sex, or social status, our brain is constantly seeking out these rewards, and we often find ourselves succumbing to impulsive behaviors as a result. 

It's only by recognizing this primitive wiring that we can begin to understand and regulate our behaviors and lead more fulfilling lives.

As humans, we often find ourselves struggling to achieve our long-term goals, despite our best intentions. This is because our brains are wired to seek out instant gratification, rather than delay it for the sake of our future ambitions. 

We evolved to prioritize our basic survival needs, such as food, water, and shelter, and our brains still interpret anything that triggers a dopamine hit as a potential reward. 

This can make it difficult for us to resist the temptation of immediate pleasures, such as scrolling through social media or indulging in unhealthy foods, even when we know that they aren't in our best interest.

This primitive wiring can be discouraging for those of us who want to achieve our goals and find fulfillment in our lives. It's easy to get caught up in the short-term pleasures, but delaying gratification and working towards our long-term goals is ultimately what will give us a sense of purpose and fulfillment. 

By recognizing our brain's tendency towards instant gratification and actively working to rewire our thought patterns, we can overcome these primitive impulses and achieve the success we desire.

In order to achieve our ambitions through habits, we can get adopt a philosophy called "marginal improvement/marginal gains". There's an interesting story behind this concept becoming popular. 

The British cycling team famously used the concept of marginal improvement to achieve unprecedented success in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, as well as in the Tour de France. 

Under the leadership of coach Dave Brailsford, the team focused on making small improvements to every aspect of their training and preparation, from nutrition to sleep to equipment. 

These incremental changes, when combined, led to significant gains in performance and ultimately to the team's success. 

By applying the principles of marginal improvement, the British cycling team transformed themselves from a mediocre team to one of the most dominant teams in the world of cycling.

Start small: 

Instead of trying to make a big change all at once, start with a small habit that is easy to accomplish. Over time, these small changes will add up and lead to significant progress.

Make it a daily habit: 

Consistency is key. By making our new habit a daily routine, we can build momentum and make it a natural part of our day.

Create a trigger: 

Identify a cue that will trigger the habit. This can be a specific time of day, a particular place, or an existing behavior.

Measure progress: 

Keep track of our progress by using a habit tracker or setting a specific goal. By seeing our progress, we can stay motivated and build momentum.

Reward ourselves: 

Celebrate our successes along the way. By rewarding ourselves for our progress, we can create positive associations with the habit and stay motivated to continue.

By following these guidelines, we can build positive habits that lead to significant progress toward our ambitions. The key is to start small, make it a daily habit, create a trigger, measure progress, and reward ourselves along the way. By committing to these principles, we can make meaningful changes that will help us achieve our goals and find fulfillment in our lives.