I guess I am a latecomer to this book. But better late than never. This USA Today National Bestseller by Jeff Olson is the handbook for a better future. Honestly, it takes the stress out of success and challenges the reader to reframe how to achieve just about anything. Spoiler Alert: Overnight success is a myth. But for those who want to cultivate honest, hard-won, lasting improvements, read on.

The title promises “simple disciplines” and it’s really what the book is about. The author walks you through his brief and relatable story (thank you, Jeff Olson) on what propelled him to start making tiny, almost imperceptible changes in his day that compounded over time. Soon, faster than probably you’d believe, the results came flooding in. He also illustrates how this works for everyone else who’s applied it and backs it up with significant proof. To be clear, this isn’t about increasing finances, though that’s certainly part of it, rather it’s driving home the difference between the 95% who fall short of their goals and the 5% who succeed. Start small and drive enormous results.

You know what to do, but do you do it? I find myself in this conundrum every day. The Slight Edge is both a gentle reminder and a harsh scolding (not really) to make one (or more) small changes daily that soon become habit. That habit compounds over time. Now, you can start at any age and with any goal, but the stick-to-it-ness is the secret sauce. The seemingly insignificant choice to do, or not to do, to skip a workout or take a thirty-minute walk, to swap the doughnut for avocado toast, etc.

In my opinion what distinguishes this book from others in the success category is its simplicity, success stories, and the action steps that summarize again what you already know, but put it in a perspective that authentically propels change. I’ve made my daily Slight Edge list and I’m sticking to it. How about you?

Image Courtesy of Greenleaf Book Group