The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson

I finished reading the new edition of The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson that just got released last week. In this book the author provides valuable insights on how to achieve success and happiness in life through consistent, daily actions. Olson believes that the small, seemingly insignificant choices we make every day have a cumulative effect on our lives, and that the difference between success and failure is often just a matter of consistently making the right choices.

Olson argues that only 5% end up in the success curve while 95% in the failure curve in life due to the compound effect of time which can go either positive or negative way depending on your everyday choices. Hence he advocates the following Slight Edge habits for us in this book –

1. Show up 
2. Be consistent 
3. Have a positive outlook 
4. Be committed for the long haul
5. Cultivate a burning desire backed by faith
6. Be willing to pay the price
7. Practice slight edge integrity even when no one else is watching

Olson offers several habits that can help individuals cultivate positivity and happiness in their lives. 

1. Write down three new things you are grateful for each morning
2. Journal for two minutes each day about one positive experience from the last 24 hours 
3. Meditate daily even if for two minutes 
4. Perform a random act of kindness like writing an email thanking or praising someone for something they did 
5. Exercise for 15 minutes each day

In addition to these happy habits, Olson emphasizes the importance of consistent action over time. He argues that what you think, multiplied by the power of action and time, will ultimately determine your success or failure in life. One key idea in this book is the emphasize not only on pointing out that small things that are easy to do are also easy not to do. 

80% of the new years resolution fail by the 6th week of the new year which means that its not easy to stick to a plan over a long period of time. To help individuals achieve their goals, Olson offers several strategies and tips, including the importance of developing a life philosophy, continuous lifelong learning, and the power of momentum, completion, reflection, and celebration. He also stresses the importance of knowledge through modeling, and the power of association in shaping our habits and behaviors.

People who live longer and happier – 

1. Live an active life
2. Cultivate purpose and a reason to wake up every morning 
3. Take time to distress – appreciation, prayers 
4. Stop eating when they are 80% full
5. Eat a diet emphasizing vegetables specially beans
6. Have moderate alcohol intake specially dark red wine
7. Play an active role in faith based community 
8. Plays a strong emphasis on family 
9. Are part of like-Minded social circle with similar habits 

Olson offers three universal steps for reaching goals: write down your goal, look at it every day, and start with a plan. By setting clear goals, visualizing our dreams, and developing a concrete plan of action with timeline, we can turn our aspirations into reality.The best take aways from this book for me are – 

• Develop a life philosophy. A positive philosophy turns into a positive attitude, which turns into positive actions, which turns into positive results, which turns into a positive lifestyle.
• Time can be your best friend or worst enemy. The small choices we make everyday works for us or against us in the long run.
• The results of small choices are invisible in the short term
• Continuous life long learning – read 10 pages of a book everyday
• Momentum, completion, reflection, celebration are 4 slight edge allies
• Cultivate productive positive habits to cope with different circumstances

Overall, The Slight Edge is a valuable book for anyone seeking to achieve success and happiness in life. By emphasizing the importance of consistent daily actions, and providing practical tips and strategies for achieving goals, Olson offers a roadmap for living a fulfilling and successful life.