It All Adds Up!

I cannot believe that it took me this long to realize how prevalent this concept is in our lives.

We are consciously or unconsciously doing it everyday in some form.

What is this concept?

Compounding!

For years, I used to see this term preached by productivity gurus.

It reminded me of the compound interest math problems I did in high school, and I could not understand why it was such a popular word in the productivity landscape when I thought it was all about savings and money.

It turns out that my train of thought was very flawed.

I discovered that the term “compounding” had a much deeper meaning…

The principle behind compounding is starting with a given quantity of?something,?and then constantly adding small?quantities. Over time, this results in one?very large quantity.?

My favorite example of demonstrating the concept behind compounding is the famous “snowball effect.”?

Suppose that it snows?and?you decide that you want to build a?large?snowball.?

You would start by forming a small snowball with your hand, then slowly add pieces of snow.?

Over time, the size of this snowball will increase until it becomes?a very large snowball.

This?large?result is due to the small incremental additions of snow. In other words, the compounding effect of adding pieces of snow to a ball

Compounding?is often criticized?because it does not deliver “fast” or “instant” results, so to speak.?

Compounding?is not meant?to be short-term, it?is all about small, focused additions that collect over a period of time, which result in a desired outcome.?

However, you will find that the “fast” or “instant” results you see in reality?often?come after a long?period of compounding.?

The best real-life example to demonstrate this is to look at the life of a professional athlete. Let’s use a tennis player, Serena Williams - one of the most accomplished tennis players?of all time.

Serena has won 7 Wimbledon?competitions?and 6 U.S. Open competitions (the two most prestigious international tennis competitions).?

On the surface, these one-time results may seem?astounding, and?as if?they were won?instantly. But that is not the case at all. Serena?was only able to?pull off these victories due to years of repetitive practice - showing up every day to practice, improve, and recover.?

And that is standard for every athlete regardless of the sport - you show up to practice, train hard, recover, and iterate.?

They do this for years/decades,?and likely see barely any improvement day-to-day, but what’s happening is all this practice, growth, and recovery is compounding.?

Then?when?competition time comes around, all of this “compounded effort” comes to fruition in the form of winning.?

There are years and decades of repetitive hard work that compounds, which sets up what appears to be “instant” results.

Small steps every day eventually compound toward?a supremely large?goal.

This?is also why you’ll often hear fitness gurus say that if you start consistently strength?training?you won’t see any results until months?after.?This?is because each workout slowly compounds together, and it?normally?takes a few months?of doing so?to yield impressive results.?

These are the finest examples of compounding.?

It is not just about money and finance, it?is a principle of life.?

The best part is that you have likely been compounding for years without?even?realizing it. Here are some common examples:

• Every time you drive your car,?you are slowly becoming a better driver.?Even if you have been driving for decades, each drive will make you just a little better.
• Every time you go to work, you gain just a little more experience and?hence?become better at your job.?This?applies whether you have just started your career or have 25+ years of experience.?
• Every time?you have a meaningful conversation with somebody, you?are slowly improving?your social skills.

With all?of?this in mind, compounding is a superpower for success in anything, but it requires patience. It is the polar opposite of instant gratification and any “instant results” that get sold to you.?

Instant results are inauthentic and improper.?

Compounded results are authentic and deserved.?

When you hear people?say?“Nothing ever comes easy,”?what they really mean is?that no true success comes without focused, compounded effort.

I want you to?think about every goal you have, and rather than let it overwhelm you, break it down into the smallest?of components that you can iterate day to day.

This?is where everything will compound and yield you the goal you desire.

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? Theo Anthony 2024