The Ripple Effect: How Small Acts of Good Multiply

What’s good?

Welcome to an exploration of how goodness grows exponentially. Like a pebble creating ripples in a pond, each small act of kindness or moment of gratitude sets off a chain reaction we may never fully see. This week, we'll discover:

• How tiny actions create massive change

• Why your daily "What's Good?" practice matters more than you think

• The science of behavioral momentum

Fireflies

Our light-syncing friends are illuminating others who understand the power of small, consistent actions:

• For solutions-focused, good news from around the world, check out the Optimist Daily.

• Author James Clear's Atomic Habits explores how tiny changes create remarkable results, much like our "What's Good?" practice

• Follow Jamil Zaki, Stanford psychologist whose research shows how kindness spreads through social networks like a positive contagion

• New firefly feature: Podcast recommendations. If you never listened to the (now archived) Kind World by WUBR, spend some time with it. Each 10-15 minute episode tells a true story of how one small act of kindness created an unexpected chain reaction. New episodes ended in July of 2020.

What’s Good Merch

Every time you wear your What's Good gear, you're creating ripples of positivity. Visit The What's Good Store to grab items that spark conversations and spread goodness in unexpected ways.

The Compound Interest of Character

Think about a savings account earning compound interest. Each deposit, no matter how small, grows not just by its original amount, but by an ever-increasing percentage over time. Goodness works the same way.

When you:

• Hold the door for a stranger

• Ask a colleague "What's Good?"

• Send that encouraging text

• Pick up a piece of litter

• Pause for a moment of gratitude

You're not just doing one good thing. You're:

1. Creating a positive ripple in someone else's day

2. Building your own "goodness habit"

3. Making your next good action more likely

4. Inspiring others to do the same

5. Contributing to a collective elevation of humanity

Each small deposit of goodness compounds. The person you helped might help three others. Those three might help nine more. Your moment of gratitude might inspire a friend to start their own practice. Their practice might transform their family's dynamic. That family might influence their community.

This is how movements begin. Not with grand gestures, but with small, consistent actions that compound over time.

The What’s Good Challenge

Join us on social media for our What’s Good Challenge. You can follow along on Facebook or Instagram.

Each day, we’ll post a new, simple prompt for you to respond to (in your head, as a journal prompt, or as a comment). The challenge is inspired by James Clear’s 1 percent rule, focusing on small continuous improvement and growth over immediate, radical transformation.

Bonus Step: share your own “what’s good” here. Social connection amplifies the benefits of gratitude practice!

Spread Goodness

Understanding the compound effect of goodness means knowing that sharing this newsletter isn't just sharing words – it's creating the potential for exponential impact. Forward this email to friends who might appreciate understanding how their small acts matter more than they know. They can subscribe below.

P.S.

A Small Science Note: The compound effect isn't just a metaphor. Research in network science shows that positive behaviors can spread through social networks up to three degrees of separation. This means your good acts can influence not just your friends, but your friends' friends' friends!

disclaimer

Some of the links included in this newsletter are affiliate links, which means that I may receive a small percentage of the sale if you purchase something through these links. Rest assured, if The What’s Good Project endorses a product or service, it is from personal experience.