How to Stay Productive in Any Situation with the Paperclip Rule
Miscellaneous / / July 18, 2022
This technique creates a visual trigger that helps keep you motivated.
James Clear
In 1993, a bank in Abbotsford, Canada hired a 23-year-old broker named Trent Dearsmead. Abbotsford is just a suburb in the shadow of Vancouver, where most of the big deals are made. Given the bank's location, and the fact that Dearsmead was new to the brokerage business, no one expected anything outstanding from him. But Trent made quick progress thanks to a rule he applied every day, the paperclip rule.
What is the "rule of paperclip"
Every morning Trent Dearsmead put two cans on the table. One was empty and the other contained 120 paper clips. After calling a client, Trent would put one paperclip into an empty can before moving on to the next call. “I start each day with 120 paperclips in one tin and keep making calls until all the paperclips are in the second tin,” Trent explained to me.
For a year and a half of work, he brought the bank five million dollars. By the time Dirsmead was 24 years old, he was already earning $75,000 a year, or $125,000 at the current exchange rate. Pretty soon, Trent started working for another company, and his salary was over a million.
When I asked Trent about the details of his unusual habit, he said, “I start calling at eight in the morning every day. I never look at stock quotes or analyst data. I do not read newspaper. If there are urgent newsthey will find me themselves. Trent Dirsmid's story proves one simple truth: Success is often the result of sticking to the basics and doing the basics over and over again.
Let's compare Trent Dirsmid's results with ours. We all want to exercise regularly, but we never get to the gym. We know we should start journaling, eat healthier foods, or read at least a book a month, but we can't seem to motivate ourselves. We want to achieve our goals, but we constantly put things off.
So what is the catalyst for positive change? Why do some good habits stick and others don't? Why does Trent Dirsmid's paperclip rule work and what can we learn from it?
Why the paperclip rule works
I think the secret to success here is that it creates a visual triggerwhich helps to maintain the habit. I've heard from readers who have applied the paperclip rule in a variety of ways. One woman was shifting hairpins while she was writing a page of a book. Another man set aside stones after each set during a workout.
Progress fills us with a sense of satisfaction. And visual reminders, such as paper clips, hairpins, or pebbles, clearly show how far we have come. The Paperclip Rule thus reinforces our behavior, pushes us towards success, and gives us a sense of accomplishment.
Here are a few reasons visual triggers help you build new good habits.
- They remind you to take action. We often lie to ourselves that we will finally start doing something: “From Monday I will switch to a healthy diet. This time for sure." But after a few days, the motivation disappears, and we return to the old life. Hoping that you will not forget about a new habit is a failed strategy. This is why a visual trigger like a paperclip can is so helpful. It encourages positive change.
- They show progress. Everyone knows that consistency is an important component of success. But in real life, not everyone has this quality. The Paperclip Rule creates a clear system for measuring success. One look at the number of paperclips in the bank and you realize how far you've come.
- They increase motivation. As the paperclips accumulate in the bank, our desire to continue grows. Experts call this the effect of significant progress. Its essence is that we appreciate things much more when we have them, and more often we complete the work we have begun when we have already done some part.
- They are suitable for both short-term and long-term motivation. The Paperclip Rule can inspire us every day. However, we still need to start from scratch every day - this is a short-term motivation. Or you can combine this strategy with long-term visual triggers, such as putting a cross on your calendar every day. The more of them, the less you want to break the "chain", which means that you will be much more motivated for the result.
How to use the paperclip rule
This can be done in a variety of ways:
- Want to do 100 pushups a day? Start with 10 staples and move them 10 times after each set.
- Need to send 25 emails? Grab 25 paper clips and set aside one after each hit on the Send button.
- Decided to drink 8 glasses of water a day? You will need 8 paper clips - move one after each drink.
And what’s even nicer is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to apply this strategy. Enough packaging with paper clips and a can or any other container in which you can move them.
Trent Dearsmead decided that success in his business depended on one basic task - to make as many calls as possible. And I found out that perfecting basic skills helps to move forward. The same goes for your goals. There is no secret to success. Good habits are the secret.
Read also🧐
- How to plan things according to the ALPEN method and do everything in time
- How to increase your productivity depending on whether you are an introvert or an extrovert
- How to Increase Productivity with the Flowtime Technique
Best deals of the week: discounts from AliExpress, Aim Clo, Book24 and other stores