It’s always easier to make plans than to stick with them. We dream big, set goals, even write down new habits we want to build. But when it comes to the actual doing part, that’s where most of us stumble. The old saying “easier said than done” may sound cliché, but there’s a reason it’s been passed down—it’s painfully true.
So why is it that we don’t follow through on the things we know are good for us? Why do we ignore the habits that could change our lives for the better? And more importantly, how do these small, everyday choices shape the way we think about ourselves and the world around us?
These are the questions I started asking myself after revisiting a book that many of you probably know: Atomic Habits by James Clear. I read it a long time ago, but back then, I’ll be honest—I didn’t really grasp the deeper meaning. I filed it away as “good advice” and moved on with life.
But just recently, I stumbled upon the author in a YouTube interview. I had some free time, so I decided to listen. And let me tell you—I was stunned. The way he broke it down made me realize something so simple yet so profound: the tiniest actions we take (or fail to take) can completely alter the direction of our lives.
The Power of the Small
Think about it. A single second of being late doesn’t feel like a big deal—until it becomes a habit that slowly eats away at your work ethic. Spending just one dirham every night for a cup of karak tea feels harmless—until you do the math and realize that’s over 360 dirhams a year gone. Forgetting to wash the dishes, skipping your workout “just for today,” or not returning that one email—all these little choices, repeated often enough, silently sculpt the person we become.
Like atomic particles—the tiniest building blocks of matter—our smallest decisions add up. They either push us toward the life we want or quietly drift us further away.
That’s what hit me hardest. It’s not the big, dramatic decisions that usually shape our lives. It’s the micro-decisions. The habits so small we barely notice them. The details we dismiss because they don’t seem important at the time. But together, they form the blueprint of who we are.
We Are the Sum of Our Smallest Actions
This realization made me look at myself differently. I started seeing how much of who I am today is built on the little things I’ve either done or ignored over the years.
I am the product of whether or not I closed the door when I left the house.
I am the product of whether or not I washed the plate after dinner.
I am the product of whether or not I picked up the trash or smiled at a stranger.
Those little decisions have shaped my character far more than the occasional big, life-changing choices. And if I’m being honest, the times I failed weren’t because I didn’t know what was right. It was because I told myself: “It’s just a small thing. It doesn’t matter.”
But it does matter. That’s the whole point.
Why We Don’t Do What’s Good for Us
So why don’t we act on the things we know will help us? I think it’s because small things are deceptively easy to ignore. They feel so tiny that skipping them feels harmless. We tell ourselves:
“Missing one workout won’t hurt.”
“One cigarette won’t kill me.”
“It’s just one coffee purchase.”
And on the flip side, doing the good thing doesn’t give us immediate results either. One salad won’t make us fit. One kind gesture won’t make us a saint. One hour of study won’t turn us into an expert.
That gap between effort and reward makes it easy for our brains to check out. We want the big picture—the six-pack abs, the successful career, the financial freedom—but we underestimate the tiny bricks that actually build it.
And sometimes, let’s admit it, we just get lazy. We think because small things are easy, they can be delayed. But delay turns into neglect, and neglect turns into habit. Before we know it, we’ve built a lifestyle of small inconsistencies—and that’s what holds us back.
Training Ourselves to See the Small
The more I sat with this idea, the more I realized: the little things aren’t little. They’re everything. They shape how we think, how we act, and ultimately who we become.
If we want to change our lives, we don’t need to start with grand plans or impossible goals. We need to train ourselves to notice, honor, and act on the small. That means:
Paying attention to details.
Being consistent in small steps.
Aligning our big goals with daily micro-actions.
Refusing to underestimate the power of “just one.”
Imagine if we applied this mindset to everything. Instead of envying the person with the sculpted body, ask: What tiny daily actions do they do that I’m not doing? Instead of wondering how others travel often, ask: What small financial habits have they built that I haven’t?
It’s not about luck or massive willpower—it’s about stacking up enough tiny, intentional actions until they tip the scale.
Think Again
So now, whenever I feel frustrated or stuck, I tell myself: Think again.
Think again when you feel jealous of someone else’s success.
Think again when you wonder why others have freedom and you don’t.
Think again when you’re tempted to skip the little things because “they don’t matter.”
Because they do. They matter more than we think.
At the end of the day, our lives are just the accumulation of thousands of tiny choices—each one nudging us closer to the life we want or further away from it.
That’s what Atomic Habits taught me when I finally listened with fresh ears: that the smallest step is never wasted. It either builds us up or breaks us down. And being mindful of those details is the greatest gift we can give ourselves.
Final Thoughts
If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this reflection, it’s this: don’t underestimate the power of small things. Whether it’s a kind word, a skipped workout, or saving a single coin, these atomic actions are the threads weaving the fabric of your life.
So instead of waiting for the perfect time to start big, just start small. Smile today. Save today. Exercise for five minutes today. Say no to that one distraction today.
Because when you add it all up, those “little things” are not little at all. They are everything.
And that’s what Atomic Habits really means to me.
