Tiny habits, big wins. We know this in theory, but what’s the real trick behind it?
Here’s a little secret: the key to lasting change is rarely going to be a grand, sweeping overhaul. What it is instead is those tiny, almost laughably small habits—what we like to call “atomic habits” at Imagine If.
We know this in terms of things like fitness, for example. That success comes from consistently building positive habits and discipline to create something long-term. These little habits might seem insignificant on their own, but stacked up over time, show you just how powerful small actions can be.
Think of it like this: instead of deciding you’ll run a marathon when you’ve been more of a couch potato, you start by committing to a five-minute jog each morning. Small, right? And barely a blip on the radar, especially in the beginning. But the secret lies in this—keep it up consistently, and suddenly, five minutes turns into ten, then twenty. Before you know it, you’re lacing up for that marathon, and it all started with that tiny, no-excuses jog.
The beauty of atomic habits is in their simplicity. They’re so small, that they almost sneak by unnoticed–which is exactly why they work. No major life upheaval required—just a few small tweaks here and there, done consistently, and suddenly, you’re on the path to real, lasting change looking back at the progress made; before you were really aware.
It’s also having–and building–the will to push through that resistance to fall back into familiar patterns. Taking it one day at a time, and putting one foot in front of the other. But with that sense of discipline comes the desire to make new, positive changes in our lives.
This isn’t just about fitness, however. Atomic habits work wonders in parenting, too. We all want to raise confident, happy kids who remember to brush their teeth, for example, without being asked 27 times. Or kids who make their beds and eat their veggies without a fuss. But instead of trying to overhaul an entire morning routine (and challenging everyone’s sanity in the process), what if we tried to focus on just one small habit?
Maybe it’s a two-minute dance party every morning to kickstart the day. It’s tiny, but it sets a positive tone that can ripple through the rest of the day. Or maybe it’s a quick chat before bed about one thing they’re grateful for. It’s a tiny habit, but it builds connection and gratitude in a way that sticks.
On a larger, and perhaps more daunting (but no less relevant) scale, however, the same can be thought of for learning habits and the general divorce from schooling.
When it comes to unschooling or stepping away from traditional schooling, atomic habits play an even more crucial role. The transition away from a pervasive system that’s been so deeply ingrained in our society can feel disconcerting—both for parents and kids. It’s more than understandable: school has long been peddled as the only path to success, with its rigid structure, standardised tests and approach to educating; we challenge this notion every day at Imagine If. Deviating from that path can feel like stepping into the unknown, where the comfort of a clear, linear roadmap no longer exists. But that’s where these tiny, consistent changes come into play.
Unschooling, at its core, is about trusting in the process of learning that’s guided by the child, as opposed to being imposed by an institution. Most importantly, it’s about building healthier learning habits that might initially feel foreign or even met with resistance. Kids accustomed to the structure and predictability of school might struggle at first with the freedom and responsibility that unschooling offers. This is normal as they adjust. Some of our Imagine If learners are no strangers to that. But this is where atomic habits can shine and how we’ve successfully utilised them to create confident, self-directed unschoolers and learners at Imagine If: instead of trying to overhaul their entire learning process overnight, start with small, manageable shifts–with the support of experienced educators in homeschooling and unschooling. The best part is: that it can be built entirely around the family’s unique needs and goals to make it less of a huge, world-shaking endeavour.
Maybe it begins with setting aside just fifteen minutes each day for your child to explore a subject they’re passionate about, with no strings attached. Or perhaps it’s about gradually increasing the time spent on hands-on, experiential learning activities that deviate from traditional bookwork. These little changes, done consistently, can gradually build a new rhythm that feels natural and fulfilling for your child.
The systemic nature of schooling has led us to believe that it’s the only viable option, which has also perniciously created a similarly pervasive, yet unspoken, mindset that alternatives are risky or destined for failure. But just as atomic habits can shift personal behaviours, they can also help families gently divest from the traditional schooling system. Making small, intentional changes to how we view and approach education can gradually build a new paradigm where learning is a natural, joyful part of life, not a rigid chore dictated by external forces; and the empowerment to take that leap for the sake of a child’s mental and educational wellbeing.
This process isn’t always easy. There will undoubtedly be moments of doubt and resistance. But just like any habit, the key is consistency. It’s also about trusting that these small changes, unfamiliar as they may be at first, are laying the groundwork for something deeper and more meaningful. Over time, these new habits take root, and they help dismantle the notion that school is the only option, opening up a world of possibilities where learning is tailored to the child, and not the institution, like at Imagine If. We implement these atomic habits within our curricula amongst our learners and their day-to-day, while helping guide parents to build their own atomic habits as they move toward a healthier, more nourishing way to obtain education.
Don’t underestimate the power of going small when it comes to making improvements, for whatever it might be: eating cleanly, aspiring to a marathon, or just welcoming new learning paradigms that healthily challenge our notions of education. Small steps, big impact—it’s why they say that the tiniest things in number and depth can make all the difference, and tip the balance. Those quiet, intentional changes have the power to transform everything, but that power also lies in the beholder.