Think in Compound Terms

Like it or not, everything compounds

Every little thing, done consistently over time becomes your life.

This will be very practical and straight to the point.

Your life is a sum of all the actions, habits, character, and beliefs you have let compound over time. The reason why your life is the way it is today is that there are some tiny little actions you have been doing consistently for the past couple of years that have now grown into gigantic strongholds in your life that have formed all the pieces of who you are today.

If you'd be honest, there's something you started doing years ago, daily, that at the time was seemingly so infinitesimal that you weren't even seeing the results of, but now has become such a big part of your life — the ace contributor of all that has become of you.

Do you know what's at play? The Compound Effect.

The Compound Effect says that everything compounds. Every little thing, done consistently over time becomes your life. Things that look like they don't matter right now, little tiny habits that you and nobody else can see how would amount to anything at all because the results aren't showing in real-time. Those little things compound to become your life.

Yes, tiny actions, done every day are the things that compound to become what you call your life.

No matter what it is. Everything has the ability to compound. It could be something as little as the gum you chew every day, the time you wake up every day, the content you consume without thinking on social media every day, the small affirming statements you say to yourself every day, the 10 push-ups you do every day, the penchant you use in conversations every day, the 5 minutes you spend reading a book every day, the soda you take every day, no matter what it is, every single thing compound to become your life!

I hope everyone will see it. Let's make this very real. I want you to get a sheet of paper and write down every single thing that you have done today until the moment you started to read this newsletter. Your list can look something like this:

1. Slept for 10 hours

2. Prayed - 15 minutes

3. Studied the Bible/Quran - 15 minutes

4. Ate a balanced meal of rice, beans, and plantain

5. Bought and Drank coffee

6. Commuted to work - 1 hour

7. Read a book in traffic - 15 minutes

8. Spent time on X - 30 minutes

You can take that as a template. Once you have that, I want you to multiply these actions by 365 days, then by 5 years.

Something like this:

1. Slept for 10 hours * 365 days * 5 years = 18,250 hours of sleep

2. Prayed - 15 minutes * 365 days * 5 years = 27,375 minutes of prayer

3. Studied the bible/quran - 15 minutes = 27,375 minutes of study

4. Ate a balanced meal of rice, beans and plantain - a choice of balanced diet everyday for 5 years

5. Bought and Drank coffee - an average cup of coffee contained 80 - 100 milligrams of caffeine. Let's say 90mg for ease if math. - 90mg * 365 days * 5 years = 164,250mg of caffeine.

6. Commuted to work - 1 hour * 365 * 5 = 1825 hours

7. Read a book - 15 minutes * 365 * 5 = 27,375 minutes.

8. Spent 30 minutes on X - 30 minutes * 365 * 5 = 54,750 minutes.

Now, keep in mind that there's every chance that these numbers grow by the day. 15 minutes will most likely become 20 minutes at some point, even 30 minutes.

You can pause the newsletter here, and do the exercise before you continue.

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Now, I take it that you have the numbers in hand. Look at the numbers and measure it against the person you want to become.

What will your life look like in the next 5 years if you sleep for a total of 18,250 hours (that's 1/4 of your life in 5 years)? What would your life look like if you prayed, studied, or read for 27,375 minutes in 5 years? What will your physical health look like in 5 years if you took 164,250 milligrams of caffeine in that time?

You can even go a little more granular by asking AI to show you what a person who takes a total of 164,250mg of caffeine within 5 years looks like if you can't comprehend it.

Now ask yourself, are those things aligned with the person you want to become? There’s no right or wrong answer. Your answer is right or wrong to the degree it aligns with your goals.

Here's what it means to think in compound terms. It is the knowledge that the real cost of a cup of coffee today is 164,250mg of caffeine in 5 years. The actions you're taking, the things you're saying, all the decisions you're making, all the verbs in your life today, if you multiply them by 365 days and 5 years, will they get you to where you want to go? That's the cost of those actions today!

Who you are today is a total of all your compounded actions in the last 5-10 years. Who you will be in 5 years is a result of the tiny little actions you're taking today that you think don't matter. It will be a rude awakening once the results are out!

Starting today, think in Compound terms.

If I continued to spend my money on this thing for the next 5 years, what would my finances look like?

If I continued to sleep this long for the next 5 years, what would my life look like?

If I continued to read or not read for 15 minutes for the next 5 years, what would my mental life look like?

If I continued to eat this way or drink this thing for the next 5 years, what would my physical health look like?

If I continued to treat people this way every day for the next 5 years, what would my relationships look like?

Get the answer to these questions and decide what you want to do today.

Before taking any action today, make sure you have calculated the consequence of that action to your life if you continue to take it for the next 5 years. This is how to think in Compound terms.

The truth is, whether you do this or not, whether you take active charge of your life or not, every action you take compounds; good or bad. Your actions today will determine your life in 5 years. Isn't it better to know what that life will look like in 5 years before you decide to take that action today?

Think about it before you act going forward!

To Your Growth,

Your Coach,

Abiola Okunsanya,

Handzinspired. ✨