Setting Intentions for Growth: A Compounding Journey Begins!

Allyson Choi
2 min readAug 3, 2023

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Photo by Jean-Karim Dangou on Unsplash

We’re already halfway through 2023, yet I’ve decided to start writing on Medium. Why?

Why not?

Writing has never been my forte, and honestly, it is one of my biggest insecurities. This is a huge irony considering the fact that I am currently writing up my Ph.D. thesis and am hoping to defend it early in 2024.

So, what inspired this sudden motivation to write?

I’ve recently started reading The Compound Effect¹ by Darren Hardy. It might be his very persuasive writing style, but it really didn’t take very long for me to be fully convinced that:

The tiniest positive actions, repeated consistently, can lead to significant success and fulfillment.

Me? A writer? Seriously?

If you’ve ever struggled with the good ol' imposter syndrome, I can fully relate to that. But it was this very book that got me thinking:

  1. Do I write like crap simply because I truly lack talent? or because I’ve never even attempted to try?
  2. Then, would it hurt to just try?
  3. Would it make a difference if I tried now, or say, 5 years later?

If there’s anything you could learn from the book, it's the power of small, consistent steps that add up to massive results over time¹. If I choose to only start writing 5 years from now, I'll not only be 5 years behind in terms of writing experiences but, crucially, still a bad writer. (5 years older and definitely did not age like fine wine)

So, I’ve decided, and I’ve made a choice.

Every choice I make, no matter how small, can have a compounding effect on my life. Whether it’s improving my daily habits, investing in personal development, or staying consistent in my efforts, these seemingly minor decisions can lead to extraordinary outcomes.

If you’re curious to see how far I could compound various habits, or if you too, like me, have the desire to pick up a positive habit you’ve never had before, come join me in this journey of compounded self-improvement. The only way is forward!

“Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn’t, pays it.” — Albert Einstein

[1]. Hardy, Darren. The Compound Effect: Multiplying Your Success, One Simple Step At a Time Vanguard Press, 2010.

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Allyson Choi
Allyson Choi

Written by Allyson Choi

Virology Ph.D. | Researcher | into growth mindsets, personal finance, tomorrow's technology and just a little bit of science.

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