Nuclear fission takes place when a small change to an atom, has a huge impact, creating enormous amounts of energy when an atom is split.
When GPS Navigation Systems were first developed, a ship leaving Fremantle in Western Australia, had its GPS Navigation System slightly mis-coded and ended up at the Suez Canal (at the top of Africa) instead of its intended destination, Durban (on the Eastern side of South Africa). Outcomes are compounded, whether it is the splitting of an atom, a slight variation in a GPS Navigation System, or study skills.
James Clear's book, Atomic Habits, outlines small changes in habits that are compounded over time, to create significant outcomes. These are primarily life habits but can be applied to study skills. There are numerous benefits associated with adopting the habits or practices that Clear outlines in this book, but there are a couple of important points made: Clear urges readers not to develop goals but rather to identify systems (such as 'habit stacking') that help us to adopt new, positive habits. He also refers to the 'valley of disappointment' – or the experience of disappointment that usually occurs immediately following a change of habit – when one expects there to be an immediate change in the outcome or results. As Clear points out, there is often a delayed response – during which time an individual might give up the change of habits that could result in a powerful outcome if these new habits were continued.
This is the compounded impact that can result over time from a change of habits, the splitting of an atom or a variation in the coding of a GPS Navigation System. By making small changes in one's habits and maintaining these changes, there can be a significant and positive outcome.
One of the changes that students can make is to take notes in each class (after all, they are required to be there) and spend a couple of minutes each evening going over the notes they have taken. By doing this repeatedly, there won't be immediate changes, but when it comes time for exams, the notes already taken and the repetition of review, means that there is greater confidence and automaticity together with much less work to be done prior to the exam. There are long-term benefits associated with adopting and maintaining this new habit.
The compounding effect that takes place has a significant impact which is why, when students are encouraged to try something new, I usually suggest that they don't just try it once but keep it going (at least for a full term) before determining that it is or is not appropriate for them. Whether it involves the splitting of an atom, using a GPS navigation system or changing habits, we need to allow sufficient time to see results.
© Michele Juratowitch
michele@clearingskies.com.au