I used to think that becoming a better version of yourself meant setting big goals and pushing yourself to achieve them—fast. But over the years, I’ve realized something far more powerful: the real change happens in the small stuff you do every day.
James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, said it best:
“The most practical way to change who you are is to change what you do.”
It sounds simple, but that idea changed the way I saw my life, my habits, and even my identity. So I want to share how I used small daily actions to upgrade who I am—not just what I do.
1. I stopped chasing motivation and started building systems
For years, I waited for the “right mood” to get things done—whether it was writing, exercising, or learning something new. But motivation is unpredictable. Some days you feel like doing the thing. Most days, you don’t.
So I built systems instead. For example:
I created a fixed writing time every morning, even if I didn’t feel inspired.
I left my running shoes by the door, so there were no excuses.
I planned my week on Sundays to avoid decision fatigue.
The more I stuck to these systems, the more I started to feel like a disciplined person. And here’s the kicker: I became that person, simply by acting like them first.
2. I started saying “I’m the kind of person who…”
James Clear talks a lot about identity-based habits. Instead of focusing on results (like “I want to lose 5kg”), you focus on identity (“I’m the kind of person who eats healthy every day”).
So I did that:
“I’m the kind of person who writes every morning.”
“I’m the kind of person who exercises daily.”
“I’m the kind of person who doesn’t scroll first thing in the morning.”
It sounds silly, but this trick reshaped how I saw myself. And once your brain starts to believe something about your identity, your actions fall in line.
3. I used the 2-minute rule to beat procrastination
When I wanted to start a new habit, I shrunk it down. Like, ridiculously small. Just 2 minutes. That way, it felt too easy to say no.
Instead of: “I’ll write 1,000 words.”I said: “I’ll open my laptop and write for 2 minutes.”
Of course, 2 minutes turned into 10. Then 30. And most days, I finished the full task.
This micro-start helped me build momentum without waiting for motivation. That’s the secret: once you start, the rest gets easier.
4. I tracked the habit, not the outcome
One of the best things I did was stop focusing so much on the end result. Instead, I tracked whether or not I showed up.
I had a simple spreadsheet with:
✅ Did I meditate?
✅ Did I exercise?
✅ Did I write?
No pressure to be perfect—just a visual record that I was showing up. Over time, those checkmarks built confidence. I started to feel like a person who sticks to things. And that identity shift changed everything.
5. I gave myself permission to be average (at first)
This was a big one for me.
When you start something new, you usually suck. That used to frustrate me. I wanted to be great immediately. But I’ve learned that embracing the “messy middle” is essential.
Instead of aiming to be amazing, I just aimed to not miss a day. Whether it was journaling, stretching, or learning Vietnamese (yep, still working on that one), I lowered the bar so I could show up consistently.
And guess what? Consistency made me better. And being better made me care more. Over time, “average” turned into “actually pretty good.”
6. I treated every action as a vote for the person I wanted to be
This one comes straight from James Clear:
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”
That blew my mind.
So I started treating every small habit—every tiny decision—as a vote. Going for a 10-minute walk? Vote for being healthy. Putting my phone away at dinner? Vote for being present. Writing one paragraph? Vote for being a creator.
Even the small wins mattered. And enough small wins stack up into a new identity.
Final thoughts: who you are is what you repeatedly do
You don’t need a massive life overhaul to change who you are.
You just need to show up, in small ways, every day.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: identity isn’t fixed. It’s built. Action by action. Habit by habit. And the more you align your habits with the person you want to become, the more that version of you starts to feel real.
So here’s my challenge to you:
What’s one small thing you can do today that casts a vote for the person you want to be?
Start there. Then do it again tomorrow.
That’s how real transformation happens—not in grand gestures, but in daily practice.
