Quite a few years ago for Christmas, my grandmother gave me a a Coke can that was actually a bank. There was a pair of boxer shorts inside but we don’t need to talk about that. To this day, that Coke can bank sits on my dresser and collects spare change. At the end of the day, as I empty my pockets, I put whatever change I have into that can. It’s usually a negligible amount of money that wouldn’t buy you anything these days. 

Every few months or so, I’ll drop some coins into the slot and realize the can is full. These are good days because it means it’s time to cash in that change for that paper folding money! On those days, I’ll take my can to the bank, get it counted and usually get somewhere between fifty and sixty dollars. By combining a bunch of things that seem worthless individually, I am able to build to something significant. 

This “spare change” mentality is honestly, the best way to accomplish any goal. Stacking small incremental things always leads to significant progress. Want to be a better parent? Be one percent better tomorrow than you were today. Want to write a book? Write a few hundred words every day. Want to read 50 books in a year? Read every night instead of watching tv.

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“Stacking small, incremental things always leads to significant progress.”

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When we apply this spare change principal to our time, we can create an amazing amount of margin in our days. Got ten minutes between meetings? Use that ten minutes to move forward in one of your goals instead of scrolling social media or hanging out at the water cooler. By giving focus and purpose to even 15 extra minutes per day, you can add almost 100 hours of productive time to your year. And I don’t know about you, but I bet I waste way more than 15 minutes a day. 

What’s the “spare change” that you could save up to make a huge impact in your life? Is is spare minutes? Is is missed relational connections? Is it actual change? We all have leftovers or scraps in our lives that when combined and stacked, can lead to something significant. Take an inventory, make a plan, and be prepared to surprise your future self with what you are able to build.