Think Big, Take Small Steps
Define your future self, then compound 90 minutes of aligned action each week.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~months to results
- Steps
- 6
- Confidence
- 98%
Start by defining “Me+,” the future version of yourself you would choose without fear of failure or loss. Do not stop at a job title, salary, lifestyle, or physical outcome; inspect the recurring activities that version of you would actually perform. Select a direction whose tasks are both appealing and capable of producing the desired future. Then invest at least 90 minutes each week in small, aligned actions such as practising a skill, creating evidence of competence, or meeting relevant people. Repetition lets those investments compound while avoiding the exhaustion caused by trying to reinvent yourself quickly. Treat the goal as a navigational aid rather than a binding contract: review it regularly and deliberately change direction when experience reveals a better path.
Origin
Extracted from Deep Dive with Ali Abdaal in a discussion of Dr Grace Lordan's book Think Big, which applies behavioural science to building a satisfying career through small, consistent actions.
Core principles
- 01Define success through daily activities, not status labels.
- 02Use a destination to create direction without treating it as permanent.
- 03Prefer sustainable repetition over short bursts of reinvention.
- 04Invest consistently in tasks that benefit your future self.
- 05Judge a possible career by its ordinary working day.
How to run it
- 1
Define Me+
Describe where you would like to be if things worked out and fear of failure did not determine the answer. Make the vision specific enough to guide present choices.
Pro tip Describe an ordinary Monday rather than an exceptional achievement.
Watch out Do not confuse a prestigious label or attractive lifestyle with enjoyable work.
- 2
Translate Identity Into Tasks
List the activities your future self would perform day to day. Evaluate whether you would enjoy becoming skilled at and repeatedly completing them.
Pro tip Ask people already doing the work how they spend a typical day.
Watch out Television, social status, and job titles can conceal mundane or unpleasant tasks.
- 3
Identify the Capability Gap
Compare your current skills, relationships, and evidence of competence with what Me+ requires. Choose a small number of gaps that matter most.
Pro tip Prioritise capabilities that create several future options.
Watch out Avoid committing to an expensive multi-year qualification before testing your interest cheaply.
- 4
Commit 90 Minutes
Reserve at least 90 minutes each week for activities aligned with Me+. Keep the commitment small enough to repeat even during pressured weeks.
Pro tip Put the sessions in your calendar before less important work fills the space.
Watch out A dramatic initial effort can make repetition less likely.
- 5
Collect Experience
Use the small actions to learn about both the field and your preferences. Notice which activities produce enjoyment, purpose, skill, and credible evidence.
Pro tip Create visible outputs wherever possible so progress can open opportunities.
Watch out Do not remain stationary while waiting for complete certainty.
- 6
Review and Pivot Deliberately
Review the direction each week and consider new opportunities or evidence. Continue, adjust, or make a larger pivot through conscious comparison rather than impulse.
Pro tip Separate the value of what you have learned from the sunk cost of staying on the same path.
Watch out Neither rigid persistence nor reflexive goal switching constitutes deliberate progress.
In the wild
A professional considering public speaking avoids immediately buying an expensive degree. She studies effective speakers, joins low-stakes panels, practises presentations, and spends 90 minutes each week building examples of her work. The experience shows that she enjoys explaining ideas but dislikes constant travel, so she pivots toward internal training and online teaching.
→ She develops transferable communication skills and finds a better-fitting destination without a costly premature commitment.
Ali initially moved toward a medical career, gaining skills and credibility along the way. As his YouTube work grew, he compared the likely daily activities and trajectories of residency and online education, then deliberately changed direction rather than staying bound to the original destination.
→ An initial direction generated useful capabilities while ongoing evidence revealed a more attractive path.
Common mistakes
Choosing the Label
Wanting to “be a lawyer” or “be a trader” says little about whether the recurring activities will be satisfying. Inspect the actual work before committing.
Attempting Instant Reinvention
An unsustainable burst can produce immediate activity while reducing the chance of continuing. Favour a modest commitment that compounds.
Treating the Goal as a Contract
A destination should create direction, not prevent adaptation. Review it as your preferences and opportunities become clearer.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for people designing a career, changing direction, or restarting after a plateau.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for someone needing an immediate crisis decision rather than gradual development.
From the transcript
“what I'd like people to do is to think about where would they like to be if it all worked out?”
“I asked for a commitment of 90 minutes a week, which for most people, regardless of how pressurised you feel is very, very possible.”
“it's those small actions that you take today will determine yourself in two years time, three years time and four years time.”
From the episode
How To Build The Career You Want - Professor Of Behavioural Science Dr Grace Lordan