Joel and Hayley 
We’re told to go big. Set huge goals. Change your life overnight.
But that never worked for me.
I made promises to myself — “this is it,” “I’m going all in,” “no more messing about” — and then… nothing changed.
Not really.
I’d fall off, feel like a failure, and tell myself I just didn’t have what it takes, the discipline, resilience, strength… I wondered if I was missing something?
Then something shifted — not in a motivational way, but in a life-or-death way.
I’d been diagnosed with depression. Then arrhythmia. My doctor said, “You’ll need to take medication for life.”
Something in me said no.
He asked, “Well, what are you going to do instead?”
And I said, “Exercise.”
Not a 90-day challenge or a shredded six-pack plan — just move my body.
One walk.
One session.
One better choice at a time.
That was the beginning.
Not of a radical overnight change — but of a series of tiny, consistent shifts that created momentum, belief, energy, and eventually: transformation.
That’s the power of microshifts.
What Exactly Is a Microshift?
A microshift is an infinitesimal move in the direction of what you want. It’s the easiest possible action — so small you might miss it. But when it’s repeated, it rewires everything.
It’s the difference between:
- Forcing a massive overhaul…
- And allowing an identity to evolve through daily evidence.
Most of us try to jump to the end result — the perfect routine, the perfect body, the ideal version of ourselves — without understanding the patterns, pain, or beliefs that led us here in the first place.
That’s why big overhauls don’t last. They demand we become someone new, without addressing who we’ve been.
But microshifts?
They meet us where we are. They create space to become who we’re called to be, one small decision at a time.
It’s like compounding interest for your identity. And no one taught us that in school.
Recent example?
Recently, I committed to training with a friend.
Simple move. Took 30 seconds to say yes.
But it changed my energy, my accountability, my consistency — and created a ripple that affected my whole week.
That’s the hidden power of microshifts: they’re small enough to start, and powerful enough to stick.
The Myth of the Massive Leap
We’re drawn to the big leap.
The idea that if we just want it enough, we’ll wake up one day with the body, mindset, habits, income, or relationship we’ve always dreamed of.
No messy middle. No process. Just results.
But here’s the truth:
Big leaps only land when they’re rooted in alignment — when they come from inner certainty, not outer pressure.
I’ve made big leaps.
I left my job. Sold homes. Walked into uncertainty with nothing but faith.
And they worked — not because I had a master plan, but because I listened to the voice that contradicted logic and trusted the path unfolding.
So I’m not anti-leap.
I’m just done with the kind that skips the process of becoming — the fantasy-leap that tries to bypass discomfort and land straight in the win.
Because real transformation?
It’s in the tiny daily decisions that build the capacity to hold the life you’re calling in.
Every microshift becomes a rehearsal for your future.
Real Microshifts That Changed My Life
Here are a few of the microshifts that seemed insignificant at the time — but changed everything over time:
1. Noticing How I Spoke to Myself
I started bringing awareness to my inner dialogue — the way I spoke to myself when no one else was listening.
And instead of letting those automatic, critical thoughts run the show, I began to curb the ones that tore me down.
That single shift led to a quiet but powerful change: my self-worth started to grow.
2. Leaving a Bite of Food on My Plate
This might sound odd, but it became symbolic.
Choosing to leave a little food uneaten was my way of reclaiming intention over impulse.
It showed me I could break patterns.
It also reflected my deeper desire for health, discipline, and care for my body — a shift that became a foundation for future fitness changes.
3. Putting My Kit at the Bottom of the Bed
No negotiation.
Seeing my training clothes the second I woke up removed the friction.
It made movement feel automatic — something I just did, not something I debated.
That one move made exercise non-negotiable.
4. Realising My Energy Crashed After Certain Foods
Full English breakfasts? Tasted great. But my energy nosedived.
I started to notice how food affected me — not in theory, but in practice.
That growing awareness changed how I ate, and more importantly, made me realise: we’re all different.
What works for someone else might drain you. You have to learn your own body.
5. Investing in Myself
This one built on all the others.
As my self-awareness grew, so did my self-worth — and that led me to invest in myself.
Courses and coaching to grow, challenges to assess and adjust
It changed my life.
Not just mine, but my relationships with my wife, my kids, and the people I now coach.
The ripple started with a whisper — a single yes.
The Power Was Never in the Overhaul
I used to think transformation meant massive overhauls.
Radical change. All-in or nothing.
But that mindset kept me stuck — always waiting for the “right time” to start.
What I’ve learned — and what I see time and again with the men I coach — is this:
Change doesn’t begin with pressure.
It begins with presence.
The smallest action taken in alignment with who you want to become holds more power than the biggest action taken in a panic to escape where you are.
It’s not about doing it all.
It’s about doing the next right thing.
And trusting that it counts.
That one small shift today could be the first domino in a series you can’t even imagine yet.
Your Turn: What’s One Tiny Shift You Could Make Today?
- A new choice?
- A conversation you’ve been avoiding?
- A bit more presence in how you speak to yourself?
- Leaving one bite? Laying out your kit? Turning off your screen 10 minutes earlier?
Tiny shifts don’t just change habits.
They change identity.
Quietly. Consistently. Compounded over time.
And if you want a little help starting, I’ve created something to guide you…
💬 DM me ‘WIN’ and I’ll send you the starting point.
No pressure. Just an open invitation to begin — simply, gently, powerfully.
You don’t need to overhaul everything.
You just need to shift one thing.
Let that be enough.
