Build momentum one tiny step at a time

You’ve stared at a blank document so long that the cursor might as well be a ticking bomb. The paper feels huge, the deadline closer with every silent second. Then you remember a technique from behavioral science: break it into microsized steps. You decide to write just the first 100 words—nothing more. The kettle clicks off and you start typing. You barely notice the first sentence turning into two paragraphs. Suddenly, the next chunk looks almost equally doable.

By the time your tea goes cold, you’ve drafted your micro-task and feel a surprising spark of momentum. You’ve proved to yourself that motion is easier than you thought. Each tiny win releases just enough dopamine to nudge you forward. In the background, circuits in your prefrontal cortex are rewiring, making each next step a little easier.

This small-step approach mirrors how marathon runners pace themselves: one mile at a time. In psychology, it’s called the "Zeigarnik effect"—our brains remember unfinished tasks and crave closure. By completing tiny bites consistently, you stay in the zone, your mind cleaner and more confident.

When you keep using these micro-tasks, months from now you’ll look back at your complete project and wonder why you ever felt stuck. Small efforts build up invisibly until one morning you open your finished work with a smile, understanding that big goals yield to small, persistent hits.

Imagine telling yourself you only need to write 100 words—no more, no less. You grab your notebook, jot down that narrow outline, then hit the spacebar and type. In two minutes your first chunk is done and you tap off the timer. You feel a little rush, maybe a grin, and you lean back, thinking, “I sometimes do more,” and you carve out another 100-word block. That steady rhythm becomes addictive, and before you know it, your draft is growing steady and strong. Give it a try tonight.