How Tiny Experiments Built My Confidence (And My Career)

I used to admired people who seemed to have a clear, linear path — who knew what they wanted early on and moved steadily toward it. My own journey has felt… different. A little messier. A little more like wandering.

But over time, I’ve come to see that there’s value in the wandering — especially when you approach it with curiosity instead of pressure.

That’s why Tiny Experiments (How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World) by Anne-Laure Le Cunff felt like such a permission slip. It reframes “not knowing” as an opportunity. It reminds us that progress doesn’t have to start with a plan — it can start with a small step.

This book gave me language for a way of living I’ve already been exploring — and tools to do it with more intention, energy, and trust.

What is the big idea behind Tiny Experiments?

We often treat life like a linear project — set a big goal, stick to the plan, measure success. But what if we treated it more like a lab?

Instead of rigid outcomes, Tiny Experiments invites us to take small, repeatable actions that build confidence through action. You don’t need clarity before you start — clarity is what comes from starting.

You’re allowed to go off script. You can have multiple interests. You can grow through action — not certainty.

Why This Hit Home

This book felt like it was describing the last decade of my life.

I’ve made several career shifts — from teaching to marketing, to finance, and now running our own business. For a long time, I doubted myself for not “sticking to one thing,” especially when others around me seemed to be climbing clear, linear ladders.

Reading this helped me reframe that story. I now see how each turn gave me something — deeper empathy, broader skills, unexpected relationships — and most of all, an evolving sense of how I want to contribute.

There’s no single metric of success. What matters more is:

Are you growing? Are you contributing? Are you aligned?

Key ideas that stuck

Here are the concepts I keep coming back to — in both work and life:

1. Turn doubts into experiments

Use a PACT: “I will [action] for [duration].”

It’s simple, doable, and shifts focus away from the pressure of outcomes and toward the energy of output. Tiny, time-bound actions can move you forward more than any overthought plan.

2. Make friends with procrastination

Instead of spiraling into guilt, pause and ask:

• Head — Is this task even the right thing? → Redefine the strategy

• Heart — Is this task exciting? → Redesign the approach

• Hand — Is this task doable? → Ask for help or upskill

This mindset shift has helped me meet myself with more kindness, and ask better questions when I feel stuck in procrastination.

3. Broaden your decision frame

Progress doesn’t always mean scaling. Sometimes, the wisest move is to:

• Persist if the work still feels rewarding and energising

• Pause if things feel misaligned or unclear

• Pivot toward what fits your evolving season

This permission to reassess — and not just “push through” — was such a relief.

4. Focus on generativity

Generativity is a psychological principle about using your own personal growth to contribute meaningfully to others.

It’s about what you give now — not later. Share what you’re learning. Create things that support and uplift others. Start before you feel ready. And trust that what you offer can ripple outward in ways you may never fully see.

As Carl Jung wrote:

“No matter how isolated you are and how lonely you feel, if you do your work truly and conscientiously, unknown friends will come and seek you.”

How We Are Applying These Lessons

Lessons from Tiny Experiments have become one of our go-to tools for staying creative, adaptable, and sane — especially while building a business that’s intentionally lean and values-led.

From Goal to Experiment

Instead of vague outcomes like “grow our blog,” we now make a simple PACT:

“Write one book note every day for 10 days.”

It turns pressure into play — and gives us a clearer runway to start.

Procrastination with Curiosity

I’ve stopped beating myself up when I stall.

Instead, I ask what I actually need:

Clarity? Energy? Support?

This shift has brought more kindness and more momentum.

Designing for Pivots

We’ve chosen to stay intentionally small so we can shift when we need to.

That flexibility is what allowed us to dive into AI, test new ideas, and reshape our offerings without getting stuck in old systems.

Lead with Generosity

Some of our best opportunities came from saying yes to interesting side projects — not because we were “qualified,” but because we were curious and willing to help.

Often, one small project done with care (even just helping a friend) opened the door to the next. Not because we planned it, but because we showed up with curiosity and value. That’s what generativity looks like in action.

Pause When It Feels Misaligned

Saying yes is powerful — but so is knowing when to pause.

We’ve let go of offerings that no longer feel aligned, like social media management. As a lean team, the production demands were draining the energy we needed for more meaningful work.

Letting go gave us space to explore new ideas — like learning AI — and build offerings that are more creative, energising, and sustainable for where we’re headed next.

How This Aligns With My Core Values

• Creative Growth — through curiosity and small, consistent action

• Freedom with Purpose — by designing a path that fits this season, not someone else’s expectations

• Joyful Momentum — progress through play, not pressure

• Intentional Impact — creating things that matter to others

Try This: Start Your Own Tiny Experiment

Want to give this a go?

• Choose one thing you’ve been overthinking or procrastinating.

• Make a PACT:

  “I will [action] for [duration].”

  (e.g. “I’ll write for 15 minutes a day for 5 days.”)

• Notice what shifts — in your energy, confidence, and clarity.

And if you feel stuck, ask yourself:

• Head — Is this the right task?

• Heart — Does this excite me?

• Hand — Do I have what I need to do it?

These questions won’t give you all the answers, but they might unlock the next small step — and that’s where the real momentum begins.

Final Thoughts: Trust the Next Tiny Step

We often wait to feel ready before we start something new — as if clarity or confidence will show up first.

But what Tiny Experiments taught me is this: confidence is built by doing. And clarity? That’s often something you earn after you begin.

So whether you’re in a season of change, exploring new ideas, or just feeling stuck — I hope this encourages you to take one small step.

Not toward perfection. Just toward progress, curiosity, and maybe even a little joy.

You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to be willing to try.