Set the bar so low, that you can’t help but succeed
Too often, we hear that success comes from setting high standards, aiming big, and refusing to settle. Yet sometimes, the secret lies in doing the exact opposite; setting the bar so low that you can’t help but succeed.
This idea may sound counterintuitive, but it’s at the heart of Lucas’s journey; a 20-year-old student who decided to launch a podcast not because he had everything figured out, but precisely because he didn’t.
Lucas’s story: Starting small, staying consistent
Lucas, host of Connecting the Dots, began his podcast with a simple goal: to explore different definitions of success. After facing rejection during his summer recruitment in consulting, he realized he needed a space to ask deeper questions; about purpose, fulfillment, and the paths people take to build meaningful lives.
Instead of waiting for the perfect setup, the perfect moment, or a large audience, he simply hit record. He spoke with people who had taken unconventional routes, learned from each conversation, and published his first episodes with what he had.
By lowering the bar; from “create a perfect show” to “start one conversation”; Lucas built momentum. He became, as he says, “addicted to the process.”
What started as a small project turned into a habit of curiosity, learning, and growth.
A Universal lesson: How small wins create big shifts
The idea of starting small isn’t unique to Lucas , it’s echoed by some of the most successful people in the world.
Take James Clear for instance, author of Atomic Habits. His philosophy revolves around “one percent better every day.” Instead of aiming for massive overnight change, he suggests starting with something so easy that failure becomes impossible, like writing one sentence, doing one push-up, or recording one minute of a podcast.
The psychology behind this is simple: progress fuels motivation, not the other way around. When we achieve small wins, our brain rewards us, reinforcing the behavior. Over time, those tiny actions compound into mastery.
The practical takeaway
Setting the bar low isn’t about lowering your ambition, it’s about lowering the resistance to action.
It’s an invitation to begin, to create, to learn by doing. When you make starting easy, you make progress inevitable.
So instead of asking, “What’s the biggest goal I can achieve?”, try asking, “What’s the smallest next step I can’t fail at?”
Do that, and success will have no choice but to follow.
🎧 Watch the full conversation with Lucas here:
👉 Inside Lucas’s Journey of Building a Podcast – Episode 1