Jeremy Strickland

On October 21, 1980, Isaac Asimov was a guest on David Letterman. After being introduced as someone who has just written his "221st book," Letterman asked what kind of schedule Asimov follows to write that many books. It's simple, Asimov explained. "I get up in the morning, sit down and write, and when I finish writing, go back to bed." That's the magical effect of compounding and consistency. But consistency is one of many factors working for Asimov. Behind the scenes, something very powerful helped him out: time. He began writing science fiction in 1939. 40 years later, he was still writing. Tiny, nearly imperceptible changes can make a huge difference when you factor in time. When someone talks about working out every day, a few hundred calories burned a week isn't anything to barg about But as weeks turn into months and months turn into years, those tiny repeatable choices compound. Negative things compound as well. Choosing to have a couple drinks every night after work is no big deal, but doing so for thirty years can have a detrimental impact on your health. The habits and mental disciplines you commit to help you diverge from the herd, and advantageous divergence is the name of the game.