The Little Incremental Changes We Aren’t Wired For

Events in my life and how my life has turned out taught me something. And that is to value the little incremental changes in my life. Those little-incremental changes compound over time if you have staying power.

When I entered University, I did not have a dream, goal or any of sort. For me, it was the next thing to do after secondary school.

But I encountered books and that changed the narrative for me.

The thing is I did not know about the changed narrative until like 5-years later. That was when I started seeing the effects of all the late-night reading, the little money spent on books, the times of borrowing books to read.

All compounded to make who I am today. And since I’m seeing results now, I am even more ready to make those little incremental changes towards a better me.

The message of Jesus in the Bible is profound. Jesus operated under the assumption that ignorance is bondage which indeed it is. That was why he said: “you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

For Jesus as well, any kind of knowledge is not enough, it has to be the knowledge of the truth. That alone can set free from the bondage of ignorance.

As the Bible admonishes, the truth (knowledge) is something you have to constantly search for. Without it, you remain in bondage and blind.

I like the words of Daniel when he said: “And I Daniel understood by books.” That understanding led to the beginning of liberation for the Israelite in the then Babylon that enslaved them.

Paul admonished Timothy to study and show himself approved as a workman that is not ashamed of his duty.

Paul himself was a well-read one. Standing before King Agrippa for judgment, he got what I called the best compliment ever given by a man to Paul. “Paul, Paul, much learning has made you mad,” said King Agrippa after listening to Paul dissect history.

The task ahead of every human is simple but I will not claim it is easy. Evolutionary biologist claims not much has changed from our DNA in thousands of years. The implication of that is that we still much think and respond to a stimulus like our ancestors.

The task ahead of each individual is to simply be a better version of themselves every day long.

Yet, because once we are of age, changes that we make to ourselves are less physical and more mental they seem to be difficult to notice. Difficult to notice translates to less desirable. Our DNA is not wired for such a process.

But we must commit to it. But we must attempt it. But we must do it.

When I look back and see the many people whose lives have become better because of what I do, I marvel. I also imagined what would their life look like if I wasn’t who I am becoming.

Imagine many people whose lives will be better because you are better as well.

Each of our life is a movie and in that movie, we are individually the hero.

My goal is to be part of that movie of yours. And while I can’t be the hero in your movie, I look to be the one who helped you realize how heroic you are.

If you aim to be a better version of yourself and invariably play a role in other people’s movies, the place of knowledge can’t be emphasized enough.

You see, while we were growing a lot of changes that happened to us is a divide between physical and mental. You learned to walk and speak & you grew teeth and bigger body. But that’s about it that matters.

After all that, what’s left for you is mental development. Because as an adult your physical growth won’t count much any longer. The world need value to come out of you.

“My people perish for lack of knowledge” is another verse in the Bible that I like.

Developing mental capacity means you make better decisions, invariably, a better life. Bad decisions can lead to ruin.

Happiness comes from a lot of things, one of such is seeing that because of you someone didn’t give up. Because of you, someone won.

Again, the task ahead of you is simple, but I will never conclude nor assume it is easy. Your DNA wasn’t wired for such a task to be a free flow.

The task is to embrace little incremental changes in your life every day. Because such changes are mental, they are difficult to notice and may be discouraging. But understand that those changes compound. The beginning of compounding is always not interesting. Even so, the few who persevere and wait through will reap abundantly.

“The cowards never started, and the weak died along the way. That leaves us, ladies and gentlemen. Us.”

– Phil Knight

Us, my friend is all that’s left.

Let’s make a difference together while we still can.

I share my stories to help others.

I hope you have been helped?