I read lots of books. One of the things that happens when you read so much, is that you forget the lessons from one book if you don’t immediately apply them, or even worse you mistakenly combine lessons from one book with contradictory lessons from another another and end up doing something that is exactly the opposite of what you should be doing. Think about how bad it could be to confuse “The Four Hour Work Week” by Tim Ferris with “10X Rule” by Grant Cardone. Or maybe not…maybe working ten times as hard in only four hours each week would be good…but that’s not the point is it?

On one of our most recent “Coffee With Chad” calls, one of the attendees mentioned that he was reading “Dianetics” by L.Ron Hubbard, a great book that’s nearly SEVENTY years old, and it reminded me that the best lessons aren’t just found in the newest books. It reminded me of one of the best books I’ve ever read called “The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy.

The main lesson from the Compound Effect is a reminder of the law of cause and effect. Hardy shares the impact it has had on his life and how you can make yourself accountable for your choices.

The Compound Effect is essentially the ripple effect you get from the choices you make. In life, you not only reap what you sow, you reap more than you sow. The seemingly insignificant choices we make daily will create major changes in your life for good or bad. These are the things we don’t think about because they have no immediate effect. They don’t seem to matter. But over time, they can take you places you never intended. Hardy encourages us to make conscious choices—daily.

Given the fact that we have a limited lifespan, the earlier we start consciously making small changes in our behavior, the more powerfully the Compound Effect works in our favor.

Since your outcomes are all a result of your moment-to-moment choices, you have incredible power to change your life by changing your choices. Step-by-step, day by day, your choices will shape your actions until they become habits, where practice makes them permanent.

Creating habits isn’t easy. Hardy says you have to begin by thinking your way out of the instant gratification trap. “The problem is that the payoff or instant gratification derived from bad habits often far outweighs what’s going on in your rational mind concerning long-term consequences.” Indulging in our bad habits doesn’t seem to have any negative effects at all in the moment. But it doesn’t mean you haven’t activated the Compound Effect.

Hardy also recommends that when we try to change a habit we should focus on what we are adding in, rather than what we are taking out. Instead of thinking about all of the TV you will miss in the evening, think about the experience and fulfillment you will gain by adding in a hobby instead. Instead of focusing on what you have to sacrifice, focus on what you get to add in.

It’s harder to get started than it is to keep going, so you must be consistent to keep your momentum going. “When you start thinking about slacking off on your routines and rhythms, consider the massive cost of inconsistency. It is not the loss of the single action and tiny results it creates; it is the utter collapse and loss of momentum your entire progress will suffer.”

In this regard, it is important to look at what is influencing you—what you feed your mind, the people you spend time with, and your environment will all conspire to bring you closer or further from your goals. Stand guard.

Finally, Hardy says to multiply your results by going beyond the expectations, doing the unexpected. Uncommon actions deliver uncommon results.