What are marginal gains?

Marginal gains refer to the concept of achieving significant improvement by making small incremental changes in various areas. Brad Barrett explains that this idea involves looking for ways to get 1% better in different aspects of life, which, when aggregated, lead to substantial impacts over time. This principle is illustrated by the success of the British Cycling team under coach Dave Brailsford, who implemented small improvements in nutrition, training, equipment, and even bringing their own pillows to improve sleep quality. These tiny changes collectively brought extraordinary results, like winning multiple Tour de France titles and Olympic gold medals 1 2 3.

In the context of financial independence, adopting marginal gains means making disciplined, small financial decisions, such as bringing lunch to work or avoiding unnecessary purchases, which collectively lead to significant savings and better financial health over the long term 4. Brad emphasizes that these small, consistent decisions can compound over time, contributing not only to financial success but also to an overall optimized and efficient life 5 6.