The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success and Happiness

Olson offers a common situation to illustrate the divergent paths small choices can forge: the decision of whether to get out of bed when an alarm goes off or hit the snooze. He explains that life isn’t a linear path but a curved journey that can be bent upward or downward with each decision made. Time can be an ally if used for consistent, positive actions, or it can be an enemy if it isn’t. He demonstrates this relationship with a curved graph and asserts that to be on a positive trend, a person must take responsibility. Those who focus on blame have a more negative trajectory. It’s essential to take ownership of behaviors and actions that drive outcomes, and remember that thoughts affect reality since they inform philosophy, attitude, and therefore, actions.

Olson asks readers to do an experiment where they look down at the floor and think about their life, then repeat by looking up at the ceiling and thinking about life. Typically, when looking at the floor, people think of the past, and when looking at the ceiling, people think of the future. Those who have embraced the slight edge tend to look more toward the future, using the past as a tool rather than a template for the future.