The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines Into Massive Success

by Jeff Olson

The Slight Edge is not just another self-help, motivation tool of methods you must learn in order to make it up the path of success. It simply shows you how to create powerful results from the simple daily activities of your life, by using tools that are already within you. What do you need to make that happen? Discover that one thing that will help you achieve that goal, realize a life-long dream or propel you up the ladder to success. Once you've got it, then you will discover how your philosophy... creates your attitude... creates your actions... creates your results... creates YOUR LIFE! The Slight Edge is a way of thinking, a way of processing information that enables you to make the daily choices that will lead you to the success you desire. The Slight Edge is the key that will make all the other how-to books and self-help information that you read, watch and hear actually work. Our favorite endorsements are from our I have read personal-development books for over 20 years and I can say this is the one that tied them all together. It is so easy to read and understand, and so powerful in the simplicity.
--Mike Bishop, Wilsonville, OR I use this philosophy throughout my day. I ve become a better person all around. I was able to correct my negative outlooks. I m a better role model for my children, my health is getting better, I m more connected spiritually, my relationships are improving, and my business is thriving. It is a must-have and a must-read.

Genres: Self Help, Business, Nonfiction, Personal Development, Psychology, Personal Growth, Productivity

436 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 20, 2022

Reviews

[Stephanie Thoma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main ideas expressed in this book:
- read 10 pages of a self-help or business book everyday
- compound interest, or incremental changes that are easy to do (and not do) are key to success
- the idea of being a person of value and actual monetary value following that
- fail 2x as often to raise rate of success

It was a worthwhile read going into depth on the points above, reiterating it to a degree where it's fully ingrained by the end. Taking tiny actions are key and opening up to failure as necessary for success. Being unsuccessful can also be a part of simple aspects like neglecting a workout one day that turns into more, vs the unrelenting dedication to exercise 20 minutes each day no matter what.

"the difficult is what takes time. the impossible is what takes a little longer." - fritjof nansen

happy habits
1. 3 notes of gratitude to start the day
2. 2 minutes of journaling about a highlight of the day
3. meditate daily
4. random acts of kindness
5. 15 minutes of daily exercise

- will smith's childhood story of building a wall one brick at a time
- your conscious mind loses track of things 6-10x per minute, your subconscious mind is always focused, never skipping a beat

"there is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is the definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it." - Napoleon Hill, think and grow rich

"all truth passes through 3 stages: 1. ridiculed, 2. violently opposed, 3. accepted as self evident." - Arthur Schopenhauer

[Caesar · Rating 2 out of 5]

The message Mr. Olson conveys in this book is simple: form positive habits, apply them consistently, and success will follow due to the ‘compound interest’ principle.
Also, happiness brings success, not vice versa.
Mr. Olson outlines some simple action points, in later chapters of the book, aimed at helping the reader achieve success.
Mr. Olson declared that: it is all simple to do, and simple not to do. Nothing will (immediately) happen when you do it, and nothing will happen when you don't do it.
It is consistency and perseverance that eventually will make the difference between achieving your goals or not.

This book contains no revelations, no new ideas, everything is common knowledge.
(The penny parable, which illustrates the compound interest principle, is similar to, or perhaps based on, an Indian fable of requested compensation by Brahmin Sissa ida Dahir from the king of India Shirham, for the invention of the game of chess. This legend is thousands of years old.)
The premise of the book is: do the (positive) work and the results will follow. Simple and easy, everyone can do it.
The challenge is to do it consistently even when no one is watching and over time the effects will come into fruition.

My perception of this book is that it is too long and boring. The message is valid but the writing style is humdrum.
The first five chapters talk about how great this book is and how successful people become in their endeavors once they apply its principles. Parables are used to illustrate certain principles but the great reveal is protracted by the author indefinitely. It took me forever to figure out what the author was talking about. To be fair, the last few characters are good.
Overall, the content of this book could be reduced by at least two-thirds without any deleterious effects.
I do not recommend this book.

[Alayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feeling like I’m making Forbes 30 under 30 next year

[Isabelle K · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭑

“Make small, easy, tweaks in your daily habits and you will see positive changes”…..There, you just read the entire book.

Despite being extremely repetitive (which I guess is the point) this book was a fast read and made good points.

I enjoyed the segments at the end of each chapter from real people who told their stories.

[Luke Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea of the Slight Edge is Great! But this is a classic case of a self-help book that just repeats itself over and over again. This is a 270 page book that could’ve easily been 100 pages. But the slight edge concept is great and I will try to implement it.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

-1 star for being so incredibly repetitive. But I guess Jeff got the points across. Full review to come.

Full:
Jeff Olson’s The Slight Edge is a motivational book that emphasizes how small, consistent actions compound over time to create massive success. Rather than advocating for big, overnight changes, Olson highlights the power of simple daily habits—either leading you toward success or pulling you toward failure.

🔑 Key Takeaways:
✅ Small Daily Actions Matter – Success isn’t about huge, dramatic changes but about consistently making the right small choices every day. 📈

✅ The Success Curve vs. Failure Curve – Every action moves you either toward success or failure. Since small choices don’t show immediate results, people often dismiss them—leading to long-term failure. 🔄

✅ Easy to Do, Easy Not to Do – The habits that create success (reading a few pages a day, saving a little money, exercising regularly) are simple—but just as easy to neglect. ⚖️

✅ Momentum is Key – The more consistently you apply the slight edge philosophy, the more your actions compound, creating unstoppable momentum. 🚀

✅ Personal Growth is Non-Negotiable – Daily self-improvement, such as reading, learning, and developing positive habits, is essential for long-term success. 📚

⚠️ Why Not 5 Stars?
❌ Repetitive Message – The book could have been much shorter. Olson repeats the same idea in different ways, making it feel a bit drawn out. A more concise version would be just as effective. ⏳

🎯 Final Verdict:
If you're looking for a mindset shift that focuses on the power of small, daily choices, The Slight Edge is a great read! Just be prepared for some repetition. Perfect for those who want a practical, no-nonsense approach to personal growth.

[Grace Mendolia · Rating 3 out of 5]

some good tidbits that i enjoyed but SO repetitive and felt like he was trying to convince me to read the book as i was reading it? annoying vibe as well but i guess that’s true of most self help books

[Johannes Bruckwilder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sensationelles Buch - definitiv ein Must read.

Zusammenfassung:

Die richtigen Entscheidungen treffen, die richtigen Aktivitäten in Angriff nehmen - das alles ist wirklich leicht zu tun. Lächerlich einfach. Gleichzeitig aber ist es genau so leicht, es nicht zu tun.
Und wenn Sie diese Dinge nicht tun, wird daraus kein großes Drama entstehen. Es wird Sie nicht umbringen, es wird nicht wehtun, es wird keinerlei Unterschied ausmachen ... zumindest nicht heute. Und auch morgen nicht. Aber im Verlauf der Zeit? Dann kommt der Zinseszinseffekt

[Leah H]

Yes I got desperate and turned to self help books…… this one was pretty good tho and helpful to me

[J.C. Derrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good concept, but the book is about three times longer than it needs to be to get the point.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished for the 4th time. I took some good notes in a separate book (from the many markings I had made in the book). I'll likely review those notes from time to time and maybe read the book again in a couple of years.

______


Just finished for the third time

______

2nd time, this time reading the physical book and not only listening to the audio version.

Wondeful, outstanding book. Though the core idea can be captured in a few sentences, reading the entire thing is very valuable and worthwhile.

I believe this can be a life-changing if the reader chooses to allow it to be.

So highly recommended I purchased copies for each of my children for them to read and have, even though we already own the audible version.

[Wen Zhe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty standard self-improvement book. I basically just skimmed through it.

Main point is that you need to have the slight edge in order to be successful. How to get the slight edge? Start small and take the first step. Create a plan to keep yourself accountable. Rome was not built in a day.

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

You can read the first quarter of the book and get the full extent of what he is trying to communicate. And it is certainly a valuable theory he has. But it doesn’t necessitate an entire book. Extra star off for his complete ignorance on socio-cultural issues and intersectionality.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Very similar theme / message to Atomic Habits. Success or results in life come from consistent actions performed on a daily basis in either a positive or negative direction. Small steps over time lead to big results.

[Rose]

Not going to rate this. I guess it was helpful? Need more time to think about it.

[Yakov Pyatnitskov · Rating 4 out of 5]

One idea :

Small actions lead to massive results if done consistently. Slight edge is that little action that successful people do today and unsuccessful people do "tomorrow".


Who is the book for:

Anybody who wants to improve in any area of their life in manageable, incremental steps.


Review:

Here are some of the main ideas that resonated:

* Success is simply to keep doing what's working.

We often oscillate between hitting rock-bottom and deciding that we need to change and coasting when things go relatively well.

The key to reaching higher levels of prosperity is to keep going. Keep doing what's working without stopping. Not switching to a new diet or a new exercise regimen or a new sales system.

Doing consistently what works.

* Everything is connected

If we have a hard time making progress is one area - say, business - we can take action to make a small positive change in an unrelated area which will help us get unstuck.

Clear our wardrobe.
Exercise.
Read a thought-provoking book.

We are not compartmentalized. Everything is connected.

* There is nobody in the world more effective at undermining my success or supporting it than my own thinking

It all starts in the mind. By believing differently we often take different actions, show up differently and get different results.

* Once you are in motion, it's easy to keep going. Once you stop, it's hard to change from stop to go.

The power of momentum of building of something every day. Little actions become big change if we don't stop doing them.

* Be consistent. Show up.

If you just commit to showing up, that's half the battle right there. By simply showing up you can rise above half of the population in any circumstance. (more on this Straight-Line Leadership: Tools for Living with Velocity and Power in Turbulent Times

* Be happy and the reason will appear

By being happy we can create more, we get access to higher thinking, we are more positive and resourceful.

And we often get it backwards: when I'll X, then I'll be happy.

Being happy (or content which is a more stable, mellow feeling of okayness) is a choice. I can decide to be content, right now.

I can notice all the things that are going well in my life and change my state instantaneously. And from that place, create better results. (also on this Reinventing Yourself: How to Become the Person You've Always Wanted to Be


What I didn't like:

Since the book has two authors (Jeff and a professional writer co-author), some chapters felt heartfelt and honest, especially the first ones and some were bloated and unnecessarily long, at least for me.

But overall the book is written in a very readable, engaging style.


Further reading:

Atomic Habits is the book that comes to mind. I have a feeling since Slight Edge was published earlier that James Clear definitely read it and adapted some ideas from it like the success curve where getting better by just 1% daily creates massive improvement over time.

But Atomic Habits is still packed with actionable advice on the art and science of how to build habits which Slight Edge doesn't have.

They go well together.

[An Nguyen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jeff Olson’s The Slight Edge is a motivational and practical guide built on a simple but profound concept: small, consistent actions—both good and bad—compound over time to create success or failure. The “slight edge” isn’t about dramatic overnight change; it’s about daily habits and choices that quietly accumulate into extraordinary results.

Olson argues that the difference between people who succeed and those who don’t isn’t luck or talent—it’s the discipline to make tiny positive choices every day, even when the payoff isn’t immediate.

⸻

Core Concepts & Takeaways:

1. The Power of Compound Choices

Every small decision—whether to exercise, read, save money, or learn—builds momentum. The results aren’t visible right away, but over time, they separate the successful from the stagnant.

“Simple daily disciplines—little productive actions, repeated consistently over time—add up to the difference between success and failure.”

2. Easy to Do… and Easy Not to Do

The biggest trap is that positive habits are easy to do—but also easy to neglect. Consistency, not intensity, determines success.

3. Philosophy Drives Behavior

Your personal philosophy—the way you think about life—determines your attitude, which in turn shapes your actions. Success starts with mindset, not mechanics.

4. Momentum & Time

Success follows the same exponential curve as compound interest. Progress may seem invisible at first, but persistence transforms small actions into lasting achievements.

5. Continuous Growth

Olson encourages readers to become lifelong learners. Reading, reflection, and incremental self-improvement feed the Slight Edge curve upward.

⸻

Why It Works:
• Simple but universal principle: Applies to fitness, finance, business, relationships, and mindset.
• Real-world relatable: Uses everyday examples, not abstract theories.
• Motivational without being hype-driven: Olson focuses on discipline and long-term thinking.

⸻

Critiques:
• Some concepts are repeated throughout; it can feel repetitive.
• The principle is simple—some readers may find it more reinforcing than revolutionary.

[Thais · Rating 2 out of 5]

A ideia central do livro é que seus hábitos diários podem aproximar ou afastar você dos seus objetivos. Assim, é do seu interesse cultivar hábitos que te sirvam, e a maneira de fazer isso é dar pequenos passos (baby steps), estabelecendo ações diárias tão pequenas que fazem com que seja quase tão fácil executá-las quanto seria não executá-las.

É um bom conselho... que eu acabei de resumir em um modesto parágrafo.

Um dos meus problemas com este tipo de livro é esse: podia ter sido um bom post de blog. Entendo que algumas pessoas gostem de ler 400+ páginas ao redor da mesma ideia porque se sentem inspiradas, isso é verdade. Mas sabe o que não é? A afirmação do autor de que ler livros como este é mais importante ou benéfico que ler Literatura. (Sim, ele meteu essa, de que quem lê Literatura está desperdiçando tempo e que a vida de qualquer um mudaria se, em vez disso, a pessoa lesse 10 páginas por dia de livros como este.)

Opiniões pessoais à parte, tenho um segundo problema com este tipo de livro, maior que o primeiro. Livros como este presumem que todo mundo parte do mesmo ponto. "Todo mundo pode ser milionário", "todo mundo pode alcançar seus objetivos", "basta querer", "bastam algumas pequenas ações diárias" etc. O autor conta, por exemplo, que até ele fazer o primeiro milhão (kkkkk), ele sustentou a família dele com 4 mil dólares. Isso dá, aproximadamente, 3.2 salários mínimos, ou uns 4500 reais, arredondando.

1. Não é nada fácil conseguir um emprego que pague 4500 reais no Brasil.
2. As chances de ganhar isso sem o privilégio de ter tido acesso a conhecimento formal não são grandes.
3. Queria ver o irmãozinho sustentando uma família inteira com 4500 (que paga o aluguel + condomínio de um apartamento médio em uma grande cidade), incluindo a mensalidade de educação de qualidade pra filha (que, depois, deu a ela acesso a uma boa universidade).

É claro que pessoas privilegiadas têm algum poder de escolha em relação à direção de suas vidas. Mas nem todo mundo começa do mesmo lugar. "Todo mundo pode", não é bem por aí...

[Nerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books that I have ever read. Very easy to read, practical and real. Don't get daunted by the slow start, it will be worth it. I love how real the author keeps it and am personally surprised that this book is not more popular. It is certainly a book that I will recommend to other people because I believe that it has the majority of things and checks the majority of the boxes that a good complete self-help guide needs. It is broad enough to cover most aspects of life, easy enough so that it is accessible for most people to read, has good practical examples, is actually fun to read, has a do-it-yourself section within too and encourages you to explore more things in life too. The author is a family guy, one who has experienced life and I cannot recommend this book enough. I wish you all a very nice day and a fulfilling life.

The later half of the book has a lot of wisdom in it! It is almost like a slow build-up. A lot of condensed knowledge. The humor is engaging and the stories at the end of the chapters from people who had the book impact their lives were heart-warming to read.

[Lalrinawmi Sailo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The base of the book is the right philosophy , the right attitude is what will give us the required results. We all know, slow and steady wins the race but the book encourages us to be slow and steady with the right actions . Small repetitive actions done daily leads to desired results. We read a lot about compound interest in finance , how the habit of small savings done regularly compounds into huge sum of money over a period of time . In the same way, small good habits done daily is what separates the successful from the unsuccessful. Like the books says, successful people are driven by the future hence they move upwards in the curve while the unsuccessful people are driven by the past which drags them down the curve . The slight edge is what can drive you upwards and also drag you down. It is all about adopting the right philosophy backed by the right actions consistently over a period of time that results in producing the required results.

Easily my new favourite . Again, this book is like a reminder , one time read is not enough.

[Christina H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is good because the concept is simple and easy to implement. I have to be in the mood to read books like this though. The style of men like this who write these can sometimes be grating. They like to tell you how great they are and gloss over exactly how they became so great. Some of his examples and things he points out are a little judgemental too in my opinion. But the overall concept is a good one and one that you don’t really need to read the entire book to grasp. Take tiny steps towards your objectives each day, and keep it going especially in the beginning when you aren’t seeing results. Over time good effort does pay off but it does not happen as quickly as we might like and many ppl give up before they get there. It’s a good reminder even if the book is cheesy at points. He also really needs to credit more women for their achievements in this. He talks about the Harvard class on happiness started by Dr Laurie Santos but does not mention her by name. But he never forgets to credit the men.

[Ezra Peace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This coulda been an email.

I'll be honest, I thought this was another book I wanted to read about trading in financial markets (which is called The Winning Edge, it turns out). But as I started to realize this was not that book, I understood that this guy was basically saying my core philosophy back to me. This book definitely suffers from the same fat most self-improvement books suffer from which is, it spends an obscene amount of time telling you why its concept matters, and not a lot of time telling you how to avoid the common pitfalls that keep people from following its principles. But he does nail many good ideas in the end; covering in annoyingly thorough detail compound interest, discipline, ownership, and accountability. But maybe the time commitment and repetition is a feature, not a bug. Since I've come to most of this on my own, this was an exercise in affirmation. But I would recommend this to anyone.

[Elisaveta Ilieva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished the book. It was a slow-read for me even tho I listened to it lol. I loved the idea behind it and how simply put everything was. Olson teaches you through telling stories that are from his life or made up but they definitely move you and make you understand the concept better.
I’d say that 2 chapters into the book you have already understood the main point and from then on he just builds and backs up the idea which is very nice.

I give it 4 stars only because I think it was kind of long and it could use a trim at some parts. Other than that … it definitely changed my mindset which is the whole point!

[MARIAE MANALO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeff Olson’s The Slight Edge isn’t just a self-help book—it’s a quiet revolution in how we think about success, happiness, and personal growth. Rather than promising overnight transformation, Olson offers a deceptively simple philosophy: small, consistent actions, repeated daily, compound into extraordinary results over time. It’s the kind of wisdom that feels obvious once you hear it—but transformative once you apply it.
This book is a quiet powerhouse—perfect for your literary empathy and thematic curiosity. It’s not just about success; it’s about agency, time, and the architecture of change.

[Gabriel Ludlum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man, I do not get the hype with this book. Maybe it's just getting a bit dated and I just read a few more modern and up-to-date books that spawned from it too recently, but there was very little that changed or updated my ways of thinking. There were points that Olson was trying to make: like how important it is to pursue happiness- that have been flat out disproven in more recent years (pursuing happiness directly is, for example, one of the worst ways to achieve it). I found the writing style to be a bit tiresome and repetitive as well. Concepts like baby steps and compound interest are perfectly helpful and valid, and I'm sure a lot of people need to hear about them, but this explanation of them wasn't working for me. At times, it felt like the author was stroking his ego a bit with the huge success of the Slight Edge by giving us irrelevant 5 star reviews from fans.
There are certainly lessons to be had from this book, and probably a lot of people who could use the boost in learning them. That's why I'm giving this book the 3 stars and not something lower. Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh but it wasn't hitting for me.

[Adomas Kontautas · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is repetitive. oh so repetitive. it keeps hammering the same point over and over again. full of old self-help clichés and borderline worship of napoleon hill. the message is good but stretched out over hundreds of pages: know what you want, break it into daily small habits, and, for the love of god, be consistent in your efforts. if you have time and like ‘classic’ self-help stuff, it’s decent. otherwise, just read atomic habits—same idea, but more concrete and scientific

[Christine Gritmon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve taken a lot from this book. For example, it began a wonderful habit of listening to 15+ minutes of a personal development audiobook during my daily drive. But he’s a little too in love with his own brilliance, and he is completely obsessed with the title of his own book. If you had to take a shot every time he said, “The Slight Edge,” you’d be incapacitated within thirty minutes, an hour if you’ve got a serious tolerance built up.

[Tomasz Górecki · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 lifechanging book, after reading this I am a completly another person. My whole lifestyle changed and I am on better path. It provides you a lot of useful information but it tells you few little things if used properly are going to change your life forever. Recommended to everyone especially youg people with their whole life ahead.

[Austin McNeil · Rating 4 out of 5]

The information in this book is incredibly beneficial for every aspect of your life. I personally loved the 5 Happy Habits and i have no doubt that, if implemented daily, they can significantly improve your quality of life. Some points in this book are a bit repetitive but I think it was intentional to really drive the point home.

[Marcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Key points:
-Simple daily decisions made consistently over time is the only way to achieve anything meaningful.
-Things that are easy to do are equally easy not to do.

Great reminders of the things we all know we should be doing and personal stories to show how doing those things can make your life better.