The magic of small changes in training

I believe in the power of small changes - especially when it comes to work habits.

One of the best illustrations of this is the principle of marginal gains. It comes from an underdog UK professional cycling team that made tiny, incremental tweaks to their training, hygiene, and equipment. After three years of continuous 1% improvements, they achieved something extraordinary: they won the Tour de France.

Drowning in Habit Hacks

Now contrast that with the overwhelming volume of advice we often get about habits. Take morning routines, for instance. I’ve lost count of how many articles I’ve seen titled things like “The Morning Routine of the Most Successful People” or “21 Best Practices for a Perfect Morning” (yes, 21!).

I read them, and instead of feeling inspired, I feel overwhelmed - and if I’m honest, a little ashamed. Because in reality, some mornings look more like this: being proud I got out from under the covers, throwing on whatever clothes are nearby, sipping lukewarm coffee (if there’s time), skipping breakfast, dashing back up three flights to grab my bag, and just barely making it out the door.

These articles suggest that the ideal morning starts at 5am and includes meditation, lemon water, journaling, a workout, stretching, a hot shower, and a protein-rich breakfast. If I actually followed that list, I wouldn’t leave the house until midday.

It's not that I don't want to improve. But where do I even start?

Why Training Often Fails to Stick

This same pattern shows up in professional training sessions. We sit through hours (sometimes days) of "industry best practices". We take notes. We have lightbulb moments. But when the session ends, we return to our desks - same challenges, same constraints, same us.

Except now we carry the extra burden of knowing what we should be doing… And feeling bad that we’re not doing it.

The result? We remember some of what resonated, forget what felt irrelevant, and ignore what felt impossible.

The Science of Forgetting

The Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve tells us that without reinforcement or application, people forget a huge portion of what they learn:

• Immediately after training - ~90% retained

• After 1 day - 50–70%

• After 1 week - 30–50%

• After 1 month - as little as 10–20%

Not exactly a comforting thought when you deliver training for a living ;)

Making Change Easier, Smaller (and More Realistic)

Training is often designed as a one-size-fits-all experience. But what I prefer to do is start with people’s actual habits.

Most of the time, we don't think about how we work - we just work. But by reflecting on our current habits, we can find small things that work well and don’t need changing, some that just need a tweak, and others that clearly need rethinking.

Take the morning routine again. If you’re always rushing, waking up at 5am might not be realistic - but setting your alarm 10 -15 minutes earlier? That could work. Meditation might sound unapproachable - but a hot shower in silence could offer a similar pause.

The Same Principle Applies in Training

Instead of overwhelming people with a list of ideal behaviours, what if we helped them uncover small, meaningful adjustments that work in their world?

Change doesn’t have to be exhausting. It can be thoughtful, personal - and most of all, doable.

Because lasting improvement doesn’t come from doing everything differently. It comes from doing one thing better - and doing it often.