What’s Easy to Do is Easy Not to Do
The discipline of small actions
You’ve heard it before: “What’s easy to do is easy not to do.” But what does it really mean? At first glance, it sounds obvious, maybe even trivial. But the simplicity hides something much deeper—an insight that can change the way you approach building products, managing teams, and even your own personal growth.
The essence of this phrase lies in the small actions, the daily habits, and the minor decisions we often overlook. We tend to believe that success is built through monumental achievements. But more often, it’s the small, seemingly insignificant actions that make all the difference.
Let’s break it down and explore why understanding this idea can transform your work and your life.
Small Actions Compound Over Time
The truth is, most things that are easy to do—like replying to a quick email, writing down an idea, or spending 15 minutes learning something new—don’t feel urgent. They’re so simple that we push them aside. We think, “I’ll do it later. It’s not a big deal.” And because they’re easy, they’re also easy to skip. But skipping them has a cost, one that builds up over time.
Take daily progress on a product, for example. You could spend 30 minutes each day refining a user story, cleaning up a feature backlog, or engaging with users for feedback. It’s easy to do. But it’s also easy to say, “I’ll deal with it tomorrow,” and that’s where things start to pile up. You don’t feel the effect immediately, but over time, it adds up. Small actions, repeated consistently, compound like interest in a bank account.
That 30 minutes each day may not feel like much in the short term, but over a month, that’s 15 hours. And over a year? You’ve got yourself a habit that significantly moves your product forward.
The lesson here: Small, consistent actions lead to big outcomes over time. If you neglect them, you lose the compounding effect that could have propelled you ahead.
Avoid the Trap of “It Doesn’t Matter”
One of the biggest traps we fall into is thinking that the little things don’t matter. Writing one email, checking in with one team member, or reading one article won’t make or break your day, right? But this mindset misses the point. Each small action is like a brick in a wall. Skipping one brick may not be catastrophic, but skip enough, and the wall never gets built.
Think about how easy it is to ignore user feedback early on in the development process. “We’ll fix that later,” you tell yourself. But each ignored piece of feedback is a missed opportunity to improve your product. Over time, those missed opportunities compound into a product that’s out of touch with your users' needs.
What’s easy not to do is easy to ignore until it’s too late. At that point, you find yourself scrambling to fix what could have been prevented through small, daily actions.
The takeaway: Don’t underestimate the power of small actions. Each one contributes to the bigger picture, and over time, they build up to something significant—whether that’s success or failure.
Building the Discipline of Small Actions
If small actions are so important, why do we skip them? The answer lies in discipline. It’s not that the actions are hard; it’s that building the discipline to do them regularly is hard. This is where most people struggle. It’s not about a lack of skill or talent—it’s about consistency.
Discipline comes from recognizing the importance of small actions and committing to doing them, even when they seem unimportant. It’s showing up every day, whether you feel like it or not. It’s writing one paragraph for that blog post, making one call to a potential partner, or spending 10 minutes reviewing data.
In product management, this discipline is critical. You might not always feel like refining your roadmap or checking analytics, but the small, daily efforts are what keep your product moving in the right direction.
Pro tip: Create habits around the small actions. For example, dedicate the first 15 minutes of your day to reviewing the product backlog or checking in with your team. Over time, these actions become automatic, and the discipline becomes second nature.
The Ripple Effect of Small Actions
One of the most powerful aspects of small actions is their ripple effect. When you take small steps consistently, you inspire those around you to do the same. If your team sees you making progress every day, they’re more likely to follow suit.
In startups, where resources are tight and time is precious, these ripples can be game-changing. A single email can open the door to a new opportunity. A short user survey can reveal a key insight that improves your product. A daily stand-up meeting can keep the entire team aligned and moving forward.
You don’t always see the immediate effects of these actions, but over time, they create momentum. And momentum is what separates successful teams and products from those that fizzle out.
Overcoming the “Easy Not to Do” Mentality
So how do you overcome the inertia of small actions being “easy not to do”? It starts with a mindset shift. You have to stop thinking of small tasks as unimportant. Instead, recognize them as the building blocks of your success.
Start by identifying a few small actions that you know are easy to do but that you’ve been putting off. Maybe it’s sending that follow-up email to a client or spending 15 minutes each day refining your pitch deck. Then, commit to doing them daily for a week. Track your progress, and notice how much easier it becomes to maintain consistency.
Once you’ve built the habit, the momentum will take over. What was once easy to skip becomes something you naturally do without thinking.
Final Thoughts
The discipline of small actions is one of the most underrated aspects of success. It’s not flashy, and it’s not exciting, but it’s incredibly effective. Whether you’re a founder building a company or a product manager leading a team, mastering this discipline can set you apart.
Remember, what’s easy to do is easy not to do—but that doesn’t mean it’s any less important. The small actions you take today are the foundation of the big successes you’ll have tomorrow. So, don’t skip them.
Let’s get to work.