Tiny but Mighty
Your everyday effort is often your greatest strength
My son, Gus, and I were watching an ant a couple of weeks ago, dragging a recently departed insect. It was no small feat, but the ant stayed steady and fully absorbed in the task at hand. We sat there for a while, just watching. Gus encouraged me to write about it, so here goes my reflection…
In case you didn’t know, ants can carry up to ten times their own body weight. Their muscles are proportionally stronger than ours and their exoskeletons are like a suit of armor, protecting them under strain. But what fascinates me most is their unwavering rhythm that’s driven entirely by instinct, yet looks a lot like purpose.
Ants carry what needs carrying, day in and day out. In doing so, they support entire ecosystems—-turning soil, cleaning forest floors, planting wildflowers without realizing it. They just keep showing up. Not for applause. Not for status. Just because it’s in their nature to contribute. Their strength isn’t loud or flashy—-it’s reliable and cumulative. Over time, it builds something lasting.
Human brains are wired a little differently. We're drawn to bold moves and big wins. We're biased toward novelty, drama, and resolution—-what psychologists call "salience bias." Our dopamine systems light up in response to reward and recognition, which predisposes us to chase the extraordinary rather than see meaning in everyday effort.
I’m going to report back to Gus this week with a follow-up thought about our encounter, and I offer it as a reminder to you, too:
Most of what sustains life doesn’t happen in extraordinary moments or under the spotlight. It happens in small rituals and ordinary contributions: listening when someone needs to talk, reaching out, offering care.
It’s easy to overlook these things, but they provide the scaffolding for a life well lived and a world that works.
This week, try giving a little more credit to what’s already there:
– When you wake up, name one ordinary thing you're grateful for.
– Or, what’s one thing you regularly offer to others, maybe without even noticing?