One Small Thing
How to make habit change STICK in 2026 (or whatever year you're reading this)
It’s a tired, old cliché at this time of year.
Make the resolutions. Set the goals. Come January 1 (or maybe the 2nd if you’re giving yourself some grace after the New Year’s Eve partying), start down the path, full of excitement, enthusiasm, and determination.
And then watch as your hopes and dreams for a better future (a better self?) dissolve into nothingness a few weeks (or even days) later, when LIFE starts to happen.
The problem isn’t so much that we fail to stick to our plans - we already know that’s going to happen, because we’re human.
The problem is that when that inevitability arises, we simply give up, instead of saying to ourselves, ok, back on the horse tomorrow.
I’m as guilty of it as anyone.
I did have one very long streak a few years ago - I somehow managed to install several new, positive habits at the start of the New Year, and stuck with them for FOUR MONTHS. But then there was a big change in my household routine, imposed from without, and next thing I knew, all of those amazing new habits had disappeared into the ether.
There are two fundamental problems here:
We bite off more than we can chew.
We think it doesn’t count unless it’s perfect.
So in 2026, I’ve decided to tackle these problems, by taking a different approach.
I’m calling it One Small Thing.
To address Problem 1, I’m reducing the number of goals on my list. I’m listing the milestones that need to be achieved to reach each of those goals. I’m breaking those milestones down into tasks. And then into sub-tasks. And so on. As micro as I can get.
Then, each day, I will put one tiny task on my to-do list that will move the needle ever-so-slightly. Something that takes 15 minutes or less. Something that doesn’t generate major internal resistance. Just ONE. SMALL. THING.
I’m also building in a weekly, monthly, and quarterly review, so I can look back and see how far I’ve come. It’s amazing what daily small moves can accomplish over time, but if we never zoom out and take in the big picture, we feel like we’re standing still.
To address Problem 2, I will also give myself some grace if I happen not to get that one small thing done on a particular day. I’ll just move it to the next day, and tackle it then.
But if the same thing happens the next day, I’ll take a step back, and examine WHY it’s not getting done. Are there circumstances that are actually preventing me from doing the thing? Or am I resisting something about the task? If so, what, and why?
Once I have the answer to those questions, I can course-correct. I can change up my One Small Thing with a different task on the list. Or I can remove the internal or external barriers that are causing me to procrastinate and resist.
Why am I sharing this with you?
Because I’d like to invite you to join me in this experiment. I think we’re much more likely to do what we say we’re going to do, if we have a supportive group of people cheering us on, rather than chastising us. (But a little gentle prod now and then never hurts.)
If you’re in, add a comment below, and give me a follow. I’ll be posting regular updates on my progress, and I’d love to hear about yours as well. Let’s make 2026 the year we actually move towards our goals. One small thing at a time.