Small Experiments for Big Changes by Kristina Schmitt “I’m going to start a new business!” “I’m going to work out every day!” “I’m going to run a marathon!” How often have you made a proclamation like this? And how often has it felt too big, too scary, or too far away to reach? When we make changes in our lives,
Here’s an example: Imagine you want to run a marathon. You could spend weeks researching the best shoes, training plans, and races. But until you start running, you’re no closer to your goal. If you’ve never run before, a first experiment could be to run for 10 minutes every day for a week. As you do, notice: • How did your shoes feel? • What did you think of the route? • How did you feel at the end? Through these small trials, you’ll learn what clothes you prefer, which routes motivate you, and begin building endurance as well as the habit of running. You’ll be closer to your goal and able to create a better plan for your marathon training based on real experience. When facing a big change, try this sequence: 1. Understand the overall direction – Where do you want to go? 2. Understand your current condition – Where are you today? 3. Establish the next target condition – What’s one small step forward? 4. Do the experiment – Develop and test your hypothesis. Starting small gets you learning faster, exposes problems in manageable doses, and builds confidence. And just calling it an “experiment” can reduce stress—making it far more likely you’ll stick with it. For help with your next experiment, go to www.kristinaschmitt.ca.
we invite an element of chaos—we’re learning something new, building new habits, or breaking old ones. That chaos can, and sometimes should, feel uncomfortable. But too much at once can cause the change to fail. Sometimes it even disrupts habits and systems that were working just fine. The key to lasting change is to start small—with experiments. When you begin with just one small change, you introduce a manageable level of chaos that you (and the people and systems around you) can handle. This method speeds up learning, builds momentum, and grows both skill and confidence. In the Toyota Production System (TPS), this is called Kata—a Japanese word meaning “form” or “pattern.” In TPS, Kata is a structured sequence of daily questions used to teach problem- solving and create continuous improvement in a specific area. We can apply the same principle to everyday life. Instead of treating change like a giant project with a firm “implementation date,” start small with daily experiments and tweaks.
Hometown St. Thomas • September 2025 • Page 35
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