Ways to change: Steps and leaps

As we’ve continued to think about change we’ve reflected that there are two main ways to change: in steps and in leaps. The prevailing advice is often to be consistent, to get into a habit of small steps to eventually see a big change. And that really works. At the same time, some of the biggest, most paradigm shifting changes seem to come from big, one-off events.

We’re finding it helpful to think of change as steps and leaps and here’s why:

Steps

This is the kind of change that is incremental, gradual and iterative. If you want to get somewhere, you’ve got to take the first step, and then the next and so on. It’s small consistent habits that build up to a significant change over time, like consistently going to the gym twice a week rain or shine, when you feel like it and when you don’t, and feeling stronger and faster a year later.

Leaps

Leaps are when something changes quickly and more dramatically, they’re seismic, not incremental. It’s more revolution than evolution. This is when a change happens so that something is really not the same as it was before, like the shift to working from home and hybrid working following the global pandemic. A leap can be a response to something that happens around us, or it can be orchestrated, like handing in your notice and going travelling for a year.

Both types of change, whether they’re happening to us or we’re attempting to consciously make a change, are happening, they are necessary and they can be good or bad. But while one isn’t better than another....

...sometimes we need a leap

We’ve noticed that when we want to make a change, we tend to default to small incremental changes, which makes sense because they seem easier and changing in this way can be highly effective. We take one small, non-scary, step after another and we can end up achieving our goal (like getting fitter). And it’s no surprise that we can shy away from big leaps as they often bring uncertainty with the change being so different to the status quo so quickly. Big leaps can often make us seem (and feel!) reckless. However, If we want change in an area of our lives, we need to consider both types of change and this means being open to the opportunity of the big leaps. The big leaps offer bigger potential opportunities, and can change our lives giving us a whole new direction.

Leaps actually take steps

We’ve realised that for most of the big leaps, when you look back, you can see a series of steps that brought you to the leap. Leaving your job and going travelling was probably precipitated by some push factors (not loving your job, needing a change) and pull factors (visited some places in the past and want to see more), along with circumstances (want to see the world before settling down) and opportunity (at a point in life where there are some funds in the bank). It’s often only in retrospect that these steps are visible and they often can’t be manufactured, As Steve Jobs famously said,

“You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”

How to take a step and make a leap

So how to change? We need, and will thrive, with both types of change and different types of change need different approaches. Taking steps in an incremental change needs commitment and consistency to keep showing up over a period of time. Taking a leap needs courage and faith to take more of a risk. So while both are good and necessary, with the smaller incremental steps being more prevalent in our cultural narrative, we don’t want to miss the opportunity of taking a leap. It could change your life.

“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” Lao Tzu

little BIG idea

A little summary of this big idea using the 1000 most common words

Change happens in small steps and big jumps. Both are good. Small steps are easier to take and change happens if you decide to keep taking them. But be open to big jumps as they can change your life.