The Butterfly Effect: How Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference

A while ago, I was playing the game “Burning Questions” with a few friends. It is a card game with questions to ask each other. I was asked the question, “How do you wish to be remembered?” Those types of questions always get me thinking of all the big things I want to achieve and have not yet, or if what I have done thus far is at all significant? 

Here’s the thing: We are conditioned into thinking that we have to do something extraordinary for it to matter. Work a job somewhere that everyone knows. Run a whole marathon. Climb to the top of the mountain instead of halfway. If you are thinking this way, you are thinking too far into the future. No one got that job or learned how to run a marathon in a day. The truth is, you can achieve anything you set your mind to, but try setting your mind to smaller increments.  

Each day, ask yourself: What am I doing or how am I acting to move more towards who I want to be? Otherwise known as the butterfly effect.  

The concept of the butterfly effect—where small, seemingly insignificant actions create ripple effects of massive change—is not just theoretical physics. It’s a powerful framework for personal transformation. The most successful people throughout history didn’t transform overnight; they built empires, masterpieces and legacies through consistent micro-habits that compounded over time. Personal transformation often begins with tiny habit changes that snowball into life-altering results, whether through morning routines, dietary tweaks or other small adjustments to daily life. 

Take the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications as a powerful illustration of the butterfly effect in action. What began as a small Department of Journalism in 1919 evolved into one of the world’s premier institutions for media education. Each small decision in the school’s development created ripples that expanded its influence. In 1934, Syracuse became the first university in the nation to offer a college credit radio course—the same year the FCC wrote the Communications Act that would shape broadcasting for decades. In 1947, they launched WAER, one of the nation’s first college radio stations. When television emerged after World War II, Syracuse was again the first to offer instruction in this new medium. 

The school’s evolution continued with the merger of the School of Journalism and the television and radio department in 1971, officially becoming the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. This led to the Newhouse 2 building in 1974, Newhouse 3 in 2007, and the Newhouse Studio and Innovation Center in 2014. 

The school’s founder, Samuel I. Newhouse, understood that consistent excellence in small daily actions—teaching fundamentals, building relationships in the industry, maintaining high standards—would compound over time. Today, the Newhouse Network spans the globe, with graduates leading major media organizations and shaping communication worldwide. This remarkable institutional journey exemplifies our theme perfectly: small, consistent steps compounding over time to create extraordinary results.  

Consider how writing once a day can eventually produce a book or how studying a few times daily can lead to professional expertise. Even being kind to someone once a day can contribute to changing the world around you. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect—everyone who has created something meaningful or become skilled at something continued putting in work or learned from failures on their path to success. Consistency truly is key. Small habits aren’t noticeable on any given day but become powerful over months and years. The key is understanding that success rarely looks dramatic at the moment. It’s the accumulation of thousands of smaller actions that create extraordinary results. 

To implement this philosophy practically, start impossibly small—if you want to run marathons, begin with a commitment to put on your running shoes daily. Allow yourself to slip occasionally, but never two days in a row. Stack new habits onto existing routines (e.g., meditate after brushing teeth) and celebrate mini wins by acknowledging each consistency streak to build positive reinforcement. 

By embracing the butterfly effect in your daily routines, you’re not just changing your day—you are changing your destiny, one small step at a time. Remember that every expert, author, artist and champion started where you are now: with that first small decision to begin. The only question remaining is: what small change will you implement today?