In this summary, we look at The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. In his book, Olson describes how small, consistent changes in our daily lives can lead to big results over time.
The book is divided into two parts. In the first part, Olson talks about how the decisions we make today affect our tomorrow. He uses the example of a person who decides to start smoking cigarettes. At first, there may not be any noticeable effects. But over time, as that person continues to smoke, the effects become more and more pronounced, eventually leading to serious health problems. The same is true for positive habits like exercising and eating healthy foods. These habits may not have an immediate impact, but over time they will lead to a healthier body and a longer life.
In the second part of the book, Olson talks about how we can use the power of compound interest to our advantage. He gives the example of two people who each invest $10 per day into a savings account that earns 10% interest per year. These people have a slightly different outset, however, so the time by which they reach their savings goal will differ – and the difference increases exponentially with time. After 10 years, Person A will have $36,000 while Person B will have $39,000. After 20 years, Person A will have $121,000 while Person B will have $176,000. And after 30 years, Person A will have $296,000 while Person B will have $451,000. This example shows how even a small difference in our daily habits can lead to big differences in our lives down the road.
The Slight Edge is a quick read at just under 200 pages. And it’s packed with useful information that can help you make better decisions in your own life. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve their habits and make positive changes in their life.
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