Over the years, I’ve realized that sticking to new habits isn’t about relying on motivation. It’s about starting small and building momentum. I learned this the hard way after countless attempts to quit bad habits and build good ones, only to give up before seeing real progress.

Most people struggle to stick to their habits because they set the bar too high, face resistance early on, or don’t see immediate results. I’ve been there.

It’s January 1st, and you’ve just signed up for a new gym membership. You’re pumped to lose weight this year and look great on the beach. Motivation is at its peak, so you commit to hitting the gym six days a week. The first two weeks go well, but by week three, you start skipping sessions. By week four, you’re back to procrastinating, falling into old, unhealthy habits, discouraged and frustrated.

When we set the bar too high, resistance builds and momentum fades. Once we spiral downward, we lose self-esteem and motivation, making it even harder to get back on track. Most people end up quitting before they even truly start, leading to a cycle of frustration and lack of results.

You can’t rely on motivation alone when it comes to achieving results and building habits. Motivation might get you started, but habits are what keep you going. Without a solid system in place, the journey often ends before it even begins.

Sound familiar? These are the common excuses we use to justify breaking our routines and falling short of our goals.

How many times have you written down your New Year’s resolution, felt motivated to start something new, and set a goal, only to give up before you even get started?

How many times have you told yourself you’ll "start on Monday" and fallen into the same cycle over and over again?

Without a clear system and small, actionable steps, the result is often the same:

• Feeling stuck and burned out
• Constant procrastination
• Low self-esteem
• Goals that feel out of reach
• Frustration from never seeing progress

People often overestimate what they can accomplish in one year and underestimate what they can achieve in five. Small wins are the building blocks of massive success, not only do they provide structure to keep you moving forward, but they also trigger positive chain reactions that build momentum for larger change.

When you focus on small wins, like taking a 10-minute walk or reading a book a few times a week, you create a domino effect that compounds into significant progress over time. It’s easier to get started, stay consistent, and free your mind from stress. Small steps bring a sense of calm to your mental health, removing the need to rely on motivation every single day. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the big picture, you focus on one small step at a time.

Here’s an example from my own journey: I spent just 10 minutes a day listening to Spanish podcasts and YouTube videos. Gradually, I built that habit into an hour a day. Over the span of a year, I went from barely understanding Spanish to speaking at an intermediate level. By taking small daily steps, I created a system that turned the stress of a big goal into the joy of small wins, making the journey both rewarding and achievable.

Let me show you exactly how I built this system and how you can use it to achieve your own goals, no matter how big they seem.

The Foundation of Consistency and Progress

If you want to win in the long run, focus on consistency.

Consistency means showing up every day, making progress step by step, and moving the needle forward. It reduces the chances of giving up too soon, feeling overwhelmed, or struggling to stick with habits in the long term.

Aren’t you tired of starting something only to fall short?

Setting goals that are too high. Telling everyone about what you’re going to do. Posting your New Year’s resolution on social media, only to give up before you even fully get started.

There’s a way to break this cycle and make your goals feel achievable without getting overwhelmed by the big picture.

The Power of Small Wins

We live in a world where everyone wants results fast:

• 7-minute abs
• 14-day detoxes
• 15-minute productivity hacks

In chasing shortcuts, we often undervalue small, consistent actions because their rewards aren’t immediate. But here’s the truth: there’s no shortcut to lasting change.

If you had the choice between $3 million upfront or 1 cent that doubles in value every day for 31 days, which would you choose? Most people would take the $3 million, tempted by the immediate payoff.

Here’s the twist: the 1 cent grows to over $10 million after 31 days. This example alone proves the power of tiny, consistent improvements. Small actions, like saving $1 a day or exercising for 10 minutes, can compound into life-changing results over time.

Some years ago, I started meditating daily to improve my mental health and manage stress, anxiety, and inner turmoil. I had read about it in books and seen countless YouTube videos talking about its benefits. So, I decided to give it a try.

At first, I couldn’t sit for more than a minute. My thoughts were overwhelming, pulling me in every direction. I kept getting stuck in thought after thought. But I didn’t give up.

One minute became five. Just completing a small session felt like a win, and over time, my practice grew longer and more consistent. For several years, I stuck with it, and my ability to sit with my thoughts improved dramatically.

Today, I can meditate for 30-60 minutes without a problem. I’m no longer caught up in my thoughts as I once was. These small daily wins have led to a profound transformation in my mental health and overall success. Meditation has given me:

• Inner peace and calm
• Improved focus and concentration
• Greater control over my thoughts and emotions
• A deeper sense of joy and presence in daily life

The rewards weren’t immediate. But looking back, I see how small, consistent actions compounded into massive success. This journey taught me that the small, daily wins, like sitting for just one minute, may seem insignificant at the moment, but over time, they create life-changing results.

Systems Over Goals: Why Processes Lead to Real Success

It’s easy to set goals: getting fit, learning a new skill, or picking up a language. The hard part? Actually reaching them, and more importantly, showing up every day to build the momentum that turns effort into results.

Here’s where most people go wrong: they obsess over the outcome and neglect the process.

Burnout, inconsistency, and giving up too soon aren’t caused by a lack of ambition, they’re caused by poor systems.

A system is the step-by-step process that gets you to your goal. It removes chaos, prevents overwhelm, and makes progress feel inevitable.

Take running a marathon, for example. You’ve signed up for the race, the excitement is high, and you’re ready to start practising for it. But here’s the truth: you can’t just lace up your shoes and run 42 kilometers on day one. Even David Goggins didn’t start there, he had a system.

Instead, you start small. You build a system that balances resistance with progress, one that strengthens you little by little. Over time, you transform into someone capable of crossing the finish line with confidence.

Here’s what a simple system might look like:

• Month 1: Run 2-3 kilometers, 3 times a week, to build endurance.
• Month 2: Run 5-7 kilometers, 3-4 times a week, to increase stamina.
• Month 3: Run 10-15 kilometers, 4 times a week, to build strength for longer runs.
• Month 4: Run 15-20 kilometers once a week, with shorter runs during the week.
• Month 5: Add strength training and maintain 20-25 kilometer long runs.
• Month 6: Reduce running and focus on recovery while staying active.

Now, let me ask you this:

Would you rather attempt to run 42 kilometers in your first week and risk injury or burnout?

Or would you rather start small, stacking achievable wins each week until they compound into something extraordinary?

The answer is obvious. Success isn’t about the size of the goal, it’s about the strength of the system you build to reach it.

Now that you understand how a strong system is key to success, let’s explore how you can implement one into your life with The 1% Habit Formation System: a simple, actionable approach to building lasting habits, increasing productivity, and achieving your goals without burnout.

The 1% Habit Formation System (A Small Step for Big Change)

This is a system I've used over the years to build my habits, and I've realized there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, I’ve focused on experimenting and finding what feels right for me.

Don’t get too caught up in how you do it, focus on the habits and the process itself.

You’ll find your way over time through trial, error, and adjustments.

The first step is to choose a habit you want to implement in your life.

1) Choose One Habit to Transform

There are two types of habits: ones you build and ones you remove from your life. It could be something like:

• "Working out at the gym"
• "Cutting down on sugar and junk food"

It doesn't matter what you choose, as long as it aligns with your goals. If your goal is to get in shape, consider going to the gym or walking regularly, paired with a better diet. If your goal is to improve a skill, make learning that skill a habit you build into your routine.

The key is to choose a habit that works for you.

If you’re new to habit formation, start small. Focus on just one habit to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Trying to tackle too many habits at once can lead to frustration.

Begin with one, and build from there as you gain confidence and consistency.

2) Break It Down and Start Small

Once you’ve selected a habit, break it down into manageable steps and start small.

If your goal is to get in shape, don’t start by committing to six days a week at the gym or lifting the heaviest weights you can. Instead, aim for 2–3 days per week and gradually increase as you feel comfortable.

For example, when I set out to improve my fitness, I started with two weekly workouts. Once that became part of my routine, I added a third, then a fourth, until I was consistently working out six times a week. I also set smaller, achievable goals for each exercise, like increasing my bench press by a few kilograms each month, until I hit my target weight.

Breaking down your goal into smaller milestones makes it less overwhelming and more achievable. It also allows you to celebrate small wins along the way, building momentum toward your larger goal.

3) Track Your Progress: The Key to Consistent Success

One of the main reasons people fail to stick to habits is the lack of a clearly documented system.

You can’t keep everything in your head, or maybe you can, but it’s not efficient in the long run. Simplify the process and give yourself a structure.

One way to track your progress is by using a system like:

• Paper and pen
• A PDF document or Excel sheet
• A habit-tracking app

Personally, I prefer habit-tracking apps because they make it easier to stay consistent and organized.

I understand how overwhelming it can feel to start building habits that stick. That’s why I’ve created a simple habit tracker to help you get started. It’s designed to make it easy to visualize your progress, stay consistent, and build momentum toward lasting results.

You can use the tracker as-is, or adapt it to fit your goals. If you prefer digital tools, you can even use the tracker as a foundation and implement it into a habit-tracking app. This allows you to customize your system further while leveraging the benefits of digital organization.

Here are some popular habit trackers for iOS and Android:

1. Productive Habit Tracker (iOS & Android)
2. Routine Planner, Habit Tracker (iOS & Android)
3. Strides (iOS)
4. Habit Tracker (iOS)
5. Loop Habit Tracker (Android)

Download the tracker here and take the first step toward building a system that works for you!

4) Why Small Wins Create Big Momentum.

Never underestimate the power of celebrating small wins. Each win builds confidence and self-esteem, keeping you on track even when motivation fades. By acknowledging your progress, no matter how small, you reinforce the habits that lead to bigger successes.

Simple ways to celebrate can include:

• Ticking off a task on your tracker
• Sharing your progress with a friend
• Treating yourself to something small

These moments of celebration create positive reinforcement, making it easier to stay consistent.

5) Review and Adjust

The final and most important step is to make time each week, ideally on Sundays, to review your habits.

Chances are, you won’t hit all your goals every week, you might have set the bar too high. And that’s okay. Life happens, and progress isn’t always linear.

The key is to adjust your goals based on your results to maintain consistency. For example, if your goal was to work out five times a week but you only managed three, adjust your target to three or four sessions for the following week. Make it challenging but achievable.

This weekly review not only keeps you on track but also boosts your confidence, reminding you of how far you’ve come.

That’s it for this letter.

You now have the tools and a clear roadmap to get started on your goals. Remember, it’s not about perfection, it’s about progress.

Small, consistent actions lead to lasting results. The journey begins with a single step, so start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can.

Until next time, keep building momentum.

-Tomas