This story began in 1997.
Derek was a professional musician. At age twenty-seven he was making a full-time living just playing music. Playing lots of gigs around the U.S. and Europe, producing records, and running a little recording studio. He was even the musician for a circus.
His bank account was always low, but never empty. He was living a musician’s dream.
Then one day he made a CD of his music and sold 1500 copies at his concerts. He wanted to sell it online. So he called up the big online record stores. They all told him the only way to get his CD into their online stores was through a major distributor.
Getting a distribution deal was as hard as getting a record deal.
Distributors were notorious for paying musicians a year later, if ever. If a musician didn’t sell well in the first few months, he was kicked out of the system. Record labels with deep pockets would buy expensive promotional placement, and the rest of musicians would just sit in the bin.
It’s not that distributors were evil, it was just an awful system.
Derek wanted nothing to do with it. So ,when the big online record stores told him they couldn’t sell his CD, he thought, “Ah, screw it.” But then an idea came to him. Why can’t he set up his own online store?
Derek made a small change to his routine.
Each day, he carved out a little bit of time to create his website. It wasn’t easy. He wasn’t a programmer. But he persisted. Then came another problem. In 1997, PayPal didn’t exist. Derek had to get a credit card merchant account. It costed him $1,000 in setup fees and three months of paperwork but he did it anyway.
The bank sent an inspector to his location to make sure he was a valid business.
Then he had to figure out how to build a shopping cart. Derek copied some code from a programming book and with lots of trial and error managed to create it. Finally, he added a “Buy Now” button on his website. His online store to sell his CD was ready.
When he told his friends about it, one friend asked, “Could you sell my CD, too?”
Derek thought about it for a minute and said, “Sure. No problem.” It took him a couple of hours to get his friend added into his system. He made a separate page for his friend’s CD on his website. He did that as a favour to his friend.
Then two other friends asked if he could sell their CDs.
Soon, he started getting calls from strangers saying, “My friend said you could sell my CD.” Derek said yes to all. Then two popular online music leaders announced it to their mailing lists and fifty more musicians signed up.
One tiny step led to a creation of CD Baby, the largest online distribution company for independent music.
Derek sold CD Baby for 22 Millions ten years later. He is now is a serial entrepreneur, an author and a speaker. He is known for his insightful blog posts and TED Talks, where he shares his wisdom on business, creativity, personal growth and philosophy.
That’s the power of taking small steps.
In a world where we often seek grand transformations and dramatic shifts to improve our lives, it’s easy to overlook the impact of small steps. Yet, it is these seemingly insignificant adjustments that often hold the key to profound personal development.
And it’s the premise of my new project.
For the next 12 weeks, I’m going to delve into tiny transformations that lead to lasting changes and sustainable growth in our lives. Why? Because many of us want to either improve our health, or build stronger relationships, or achieve our career aspirations.
I believe we can only achieve that through a series of small changes.
Rather than getting fixated on the end goal, if we focus on the process—the daily rituals, habits, and behaviors, we have a better chance of building lasting change and transforming our lives in an incredible way.
This is what my husband did.
Back in late nineties, my husband was struggling with his weight and overall health. He had tried numerous things but nothing seemed to work long-term. One day, he decided to make a small change in his routine. He started walking each morning.
Over time, he increased his walking to one hour. Soon he started jogging. He also made small changes to his diet, replacing sugary drinks with water and increasing his intake of proteins and vegetables. Before he knew it, he lost weight.
But his changes weren’t just physical.
He noticed that his energy levels had improved, and he was sleeping better. He got rid of his Heyfever that was debilitated him every spring for two decades. His stamina improve tremendously. His improved health had a positive impact on his career.
All of this was the result of making small changes in his daily routine.
I've chosen to include his story because my husband excels at initiating small changes and remaining committed to them. The power of small changes lies in their simplicity and sustainability. Staying dedicating my husband positively impacted almost every area of his life.
But before we get too deep, let’s find out what’s a change?
Change is the process of transition or transformation, encompassing shifts in circumstances, behaviors, beliefs, or states of being.
It involves moving from one condition to another, whether gradual or abrupt.
Change can arise from internal motivations or external forces, and it often entails adaptation, growth, or evolution.
Embracing change requires openness, flexibility, and a willingness to accept uncertainty, as it represents the dynamic nature of life, opportunities for renewal, and positive transformation.
Change is a fundamental aspect of human existence. From the moment we are born, we embark on a journey of continuous growth and evolution. Whether we realize it or not, every decision we make, every action we take, contributes to shaping the course of our lives.
However, change is not always easy.
It can be daunting, overwhelming, and at times, paralyzing. The thought of making significant alterations to our habits, routines, and mindset can trigger feelings of resistance and fear. One of the biggest barriers to change is our inner voice, that whispers doubts and fears, urging us to stay within our comfort zone.
But, by settling for small changes, we can circumvent this resistance.
In our quest for self-improvement, we are often drawn to big transformations. We set lofty goals, make grandiose plans, and envision radical shifts in our lives. While there is certainly merit in aiming high and dreaming big, but there are limitations of this approach.
Big transformations are challenging to sustain, and can lead to disappointment and burnout when expectations fall short.
Whereas, small changes bypass our innate resistance, and create a domino effect, that trigger a cascade of positive outcomes. Just as the flapping of a butterfly’s wings can set off a chain reaction that leads to a hurricane halfway around the world, so too can seemingly minor adjustments in our daily lives produce ripple effects that reverberate far beyond our immediate sphere of influence.
Let’s embark on a journey to cause butterfly effect in our lives.
I welcome you on to a journey of self-discovery and personal growth to uncover hidden strengths, unearth dormant passions, and redefine our sense of identity. Each change we make will brings us closer to aligning with our true purpose and living authentically.
As you may have gathered from the aforementioned, for the next 12 weeks, I will be delving into the theme of 'Tiny Transformations That Make Big Differences.' This subject holds a special place in my heart, as I've consistently implemented small changes at every juncture of my life in pursuit of personal growth.
What sets this project apart, is my intention to draw inspiration from the lives of other individuals whose achievements resonate more powerfully than my own. Through their experiences, I aim to glean insights that will enable us to cultivate better lives for ourselves.
In a slight alteration, these stories will now be delivered on Sundays instead of Fridays, affording you more time to reflect upon them (Although you’re getting this on Monday because Substack system was down on Sunday).
I hope you’ll continue to support me on this new project.
That’s all from me this week.
See you next week.
Love this! I've been sick and have lost track of you. I think I'm back on track now! J.
Small steps always deliver the best results, plus dedication to ensure your aim is fulfilled. My philosophy, but for me hasn’t always worked. What is that saying, “slowly, slowly, catchy monkey” this has been my aim for this year with weight. Fingers crossed I succeed. Looking forward to next Sunday Neera.