“I think people prefer to believe they need to overhaul their entire life in order to see improvement. Because if they believe it’s not possible, they can’t be held responsible for doing nothing.”
I’ve always been someone who tried to do it all. From juggling musicals, dance, and academics in middle school to student council, choir, cheerleading, and a job in high school, I thrived on being busy. This continued into college with 5 am spin classes, interior design studies, and late-night work shifts. Even after college, I packed my days with CrossFit, gym ownership, seminar staff duties, weekend travels, and competitive athlete training.
I genuinely believed I could handle everything, and honestly, I was succeeding for years. I was doing it all, and doing it well.
Life Intervenes
Then, as it inevitably does for everyone, life happened. Whether it’s illness, injury, a major move, or any unexpected event, life has a way of knocking us off our course.
In 2011, my first significant setback hit when I was hospitalized and needed emergency surgery for appendicitis. Just days before, I’d dismissed the pain as a muscle strain. Suddenly, my training came to a halt. It was an abrupt shift, a completely new experience for me.
This is where many people falter and give up. But I refused to quit. Instead of dwelling on what I couldn’t do, I focused on what I could, even if it felt minimal. At that time, “more than nothing” meant dragging a sled around a parking lot or doing slow bodyweight exercises. Far from ideal, but it kept me moving.
In 2012, another blow came with a car accident that resulted in a broken neck in two places and a fractured hand. Suddenly, I was down to one functional hand and had undergone spinal fusion of my C2 and C3 vertebrae. Again, I faced limitations in my training, but the thought of quitting wasn’t an option. I had to learn to keep moving forward, to avoid the downward spiral of self-pity and frustration over not being able to do what I wanted or was used to.
There were more minor injuries along the way, but the “more than nothing” philosophy truly solidified during my first pregnancy with my son, Knox. Discovering I was pregnant coincided with a challenging period in my relationship with Julian, the launch of my business, a new home, and the emotional rollercoaster of pregnancy itself.
My love for Julian, fitness, and my business became my anchors during that time, yet the urge to do absolutely nothing was incredibly strong. “More than nothing” evolved beyond physical activity; it became:
- Choosing to stay in my relationship instead of walking away.
- Making the effort to kiss Julian goodnight.
- Dedicating just five more minutes to answering emails.
- Even just sitting on an assault bike and crying for ten minutes (which happened more than once).
I simply kept showing up. I kept doing more than nothing.
Alt text: Miranda Alcaraz smiling confidently, illustrating the power of consistent small steps for self-improvement.
Grand Gestures Hinder Lasting Progress
If you’re a real person living a real life, you can’t consistently do everything perfectly, all the time.
- Consider the working mom striving for better health. The fitness industry’s recommendations seem unattainable – expensive equipment, costly supplements, and hours of daily workouts feel impossible. So, she does nothing.
- Or the deployed service member dreaming of launching an apparel business. Stuck overseas with unreliable internet, starting a business feels out of reach. Effective communication seems impossible. So, he does nothing.
- Or someone wanting to make a bigger impact on the world, inspired by philanthropists building schools in Africa. But the time commitment, travel expenses, and fundraising seem overwhelming. So, they do nothing.
We’re conditioned to believe that change demands a complete life overhaul. We look at our goals and perceive insurmountable obstacles of time and money. We’ve convinced ourselves that meaningful change requires grand, sweeping gestures.
Grand gestures actually starve lasting change.
But doing something, something more than nothing? That’s the key to real improvement.
- What if that working mom dedicated just 10 minutes, four times a week, to bodyweight exercises at home? What if, two weeks later, she eliminated soda and added one vegetable to her daily meals, maintaining her brief workouts? It might not feel like much, but consistent over 12 months, it would be transformative, especially compared to doing nothing.
- What if the deployed soldier utilized his deployment to read business books and listen to podcasts? Learning from successful entrepreneurs could provide a roadmap for when he returns home. This proactive education sets him up for success upon his return.
- What if the person wanting to make a difference donated a few of their children’s toys each Christmas? Or paid for the coffee of the car behind them in the drive-through? That small act of kindness could brighten someone’s day, reminding them that they are cared for.
Alt text: Image illustrating the concept of “more than nothing” with small, consistent actions leading to significant change over time.
Consistency: The Real Challenge
Why do we gravitate towards grand gestures? Because they offer a quick, intense, but ultimately short-lived burst of motivation. They’re exciting and fueled by initial momentum. We’re drawn to 30-day cleanses and drastic diets, imagining overnight transformations. But deep down, we often sense these extreme changes are unsustainable. We subconsciously know we can’t maintain that lifestyle, so we rationalize, “This isn’t for me. This is just how I am.”
I believe people prefer to think they need a complete life overhaul to improve because believing it’s impossible absolves them of responsibility for inaction.
In reality, lasting change isn’t born from radical shifts or grand gestures.
It’s built upon consistency.
Those 10-minute bedroom workouts four times a week, cutting out soda, and adding one vegetable daily for 12 months – that is what creates real change.
The difficulty lies in consistency. It’s far harder than short bursts of extreme effort, which is why so few experience the profound benefits of consistent action.
Trust me, I understand. Three years ago, if you told me that 45-minute home workouts, five times a week, could maintain my fitness, I wouldn’t have believed you. I’ve learned this lesson alongside the Street Parking community. We’ve had to collectively quiet the inner voices telling us “it’s not enough.”
But it works, because “more than nothing” is enough. And you can do it too.
It’s time to shift your mindset, stop externalizing blame, and take full responsibility.
Do more than nothing, because more than nothing is enough.
-Miranda Alcaraz (@fearlessmiranda)
