Not all progress needs to be incremental.

This past year, I prioritized cardio health — I got into the habit of jumping rope almost every day.

When I started, I couldn't do more than 30 seconds without getting a headache. I slowly started building up: doing it daily, I got to a minute, then a few rounds of a minute, then pushed it to two minutes. Eventually, I got up to 15 consecutive minutes.

Yesterday, I hit an unexpected milestone. I jumped rope for a consecutive 60 minutes.

My previous maximum had been 35 consecutive minutes. My initial thought was that I would need to build up to the full hour — trying 40 minutes, then 45, etc. But with a bit of happenstance and a casual decision, I went for the full hour. And it didn't kill me.

I thought about this leap of progress today. I've been reading the book You^2 by Price Pritchett, who emphasizes that you can make "quantum leaps" in your success and that progress doesn't always have to be incremental.

Now, I'm not throwing out the value of incremental progress — I’m just as much an advocate of growing 1% each day — but the notion that you can make huge leaps with little effort is sexy, almost too good to be true. Maybe it's a stretch to say my leap from 35 to 60 minutes was "quantum," but the milestone hints at that idea: you can take leaps to reach new bounds.

You don't need to improve minute by minute.

As I reflect on this personal victory, I wonder what other areas in my life are due for a leap of progress.

Next time you find yourself taking the path of most resistance, ask yourself:
"Where can I take a quantum leap?"

Perhaps the thought exercise alone will help you identify where to leap next.you find where to leap next.