There’s this philosophy that I’ve followed for years. The idea of doing something everyday that moves you closer to the person you want to be.
It doesn’t matter how small it is.
If you want to get fitter, then do 1 push up. Even 1 push up is more than zero.
Want to get better at guitar? Then practise playing one chord for a week then change to another one.
Want to learn about stocks and shares? Read a page a of an investment book everyday.
Your future self will thank you.
Do this every day for a year and you’ll have taken 365 actions towards building the future you want.
Even one push up a day is 365 more than you may have done otherwise!
One chord a week is 52 in a year.
One page a day is one average book per year. Bump that up to a chapter everyday and you’ll finish an average book a month. 12 books in a year.
Often the hardest part of making changes is getting started. So make the action you need to take as low lift as you can.
Why this works
This isn’t just a nice idea – it’s backed by behavioral science. When a task feels too big, our brains perceive it as a threat and trigger resistance. But when it feels easy – almost laughably small – we’re far more likely to follow through.
That’s why habits expert BJ Fogg recommends “flossing just one tooth” if you want to build a flossing habit. Of course we know that flossing just one tooth won’t drastically improve your oral health. But flossing one tooth is still better than flossing no teeth.
And once you’re already in motion, you often end up doing more.
It’s also a way to build identity.
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.” – James Clear
The more consistent the action, the stronger the identity becomes.
You’re no longer someone trying to get fit – you’re someone who moves their body daily. You’re no longer someone who wants to be a writer – you’re someone who writes every day.
Examples from my no zero week
This week, I’ve been trying to move more. Not to get fit, just to counteract my sedentary life of working at a desk sitting all day is as bad for your health as smoking!
I have a sit/stand desk but I rarely stand up at it. So this week, I’ve told myself that I need to stand for a least one minute everyday.
Of course, I end up standing for longer than that! But by telling myself “It’s only for one minute.” even if I don’t feel like it, I still do it because if I really don’t want to, after 1 minute I can always sit back down again.
I’ve also been wanting to read more non fiction. So I’m reading one page a day (usually more of course!). It helps having the kindle app on my phone.
I’m currently reading Don’t Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen (Amazon affiliate link if you want to check it out).
I’ve been following the trigger tip from James Clear’s Atomic Habits for both too.
My triggers are to stand whenever I get back from a toilet or tea break. And I’ve removed time wasting apps from my home screen on my phone and put the kindle app in the top left. Now whenever I open my phone while waiting for the kettle to boil, I click on Kindle rather than social media.
Streaks
When I checked the internet for other people’s No Zero Days ideas, I realised that most people use the concept of streaks to help them.
The idea is that you don’t miss a day on the specific action you’ve set yourself a No Zero Days challenge for to help you build momentum. You don’t want to miss a day, because then you’ll break your streak.
I personally don’t track my streaks because I don’t find it motivating and I don’t want to commit to doing something forever. Even the longest streak will stop someday.
I also realised that my idea of No Zero Days is different…
Castle Builder Days
My concept of No Zero Days means that everyday I take just one action that will matter beyond today. Instead of just living in maintenance mode, I want to make progress everyday.
Perhaps I should rename them as Castle Builder Days.
In gaming, a “castle builder” is a slow, strategic kind of game. You start with almost nothing – just a patch of land and an idea. Bit by bit, you gather resources, lay foundations, and expand your fortress. It’s not fast-paced or flashy. But over time, with consistent effort, you end up with something strong, lasting, and entirely your own.
That’s what I think life can be like, too – if you build it on purpose.
That could be:
- Reading a page of non fiction (building knowledge)
- Investing $1 (building wealth)
- Updating my website – coming soon! (building my business)
For me, the broad concept of making each day count is motivating enough. If I start to add the pressure of multiple no zero things and streaks it suddenly becomes more onerous and I feel my resistance rising.
Does that mean I make slower progress? Probably.
But I’ve made pretty much every day a Castle Building Day for around 20 years and it’s led to some amazing things:
- Building an online business that I then sold
- Learning how to play multiple instruments
- Relocating to the south coast
- Switching careers
This is what living with intention really looks like.
Not sweeping life changes or grand declarations – but small, consistent acts that align with the future you want to build.
You don’t need a grand five-year plan with meticulously planned down to the minute schedules. You just need to do one thing today that your future self will thank you for.
One step is enough – as long as it’s pointed in the right direction.
Emily xx