Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval, authors of "The Power of Small," believe that little things can make a big difference in your life.

Small Actions Can Be Powerful
In their book, Linda and Robin tell the story of Larry, a self-proclaimed computer geek who aspired to be part of the sales department at his company. One day, he walked into a hip hair salon for a haircut, and it changed his life. The haircut didn't only change his look; it changed his outlook and his perception of himself, and it started a chain reaction.

Everyone from his wife to the person at the deli where he bought his coffee every morning had a really positive reaction to his new look. It occurred to him that even small steps could have a big effect on his life. He bought some new clothes and joined a gym. Once he saw himself differently, other people started treating him differently. The head of the sales department offered him a position. Next thing you know, he was the chief sales executive of the company.

Take Baby Steps
Sometimes, it's best to take baby steps. Niagara Falls wasn't just a spectacular natural wonder 160 years ago -- it was an impassable obstacle. The United States and Canada were both trying to come up with a way to build a bridge between the two sides in order to capitalize on the tourism opportunities.

Typically, to build a suspension bridge, engineers will string a wire between the two sides of a body of water and then build on that small step until the cables are powerful enough to safely hold a great deal of weight. But, in this case, treacherous rapids made this impossible to do by boat.

Even the world's best engineers couldn't come up with a plan. Ultimately, it was a local man who figured out a solution. He suggested a kite-flying contest, which was won by an American boy named Homan Walsh January 31, 1848. That kite string was anchored on the other side and used to pull across increasingly heavier and stronger lines. And, six months later, the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge opened to the public.

Small Talk Matters
It is important to remember that small talk matters. This is a great story about two women: One is an administrative assistant named Annamarie, who every morning goes to the same Starbucks for her coffee. The other is Sandie, the barista at the Starbucks.

Each morning as she fishes out the exact change, Annamarie and Sandie have a quick, friendly exchange. Through these conversations, they have come to know about grandkids' birthdays, favorite vacation spots, etc. One day, a glum Annamarie stops by for her coffee; after some gentle prodding from her friend, Annamarie confides that she just found out she needs a kidney transplant and there was no donor available.

As Sandie tells it, right away her thoughts went to Annamarie's new granddaughter. One thing led to another, and Sandie wound up donating her kidney to Annamarie. In this case, a life was saved because each woman took a small step outside the boundaries of what was expected.

We're in such a rush to get things done that we tend to see people who make cameo appearances in our lives every day solely through the roles they play. Making a human connection only takes a few moments and is well worth it.

Take Small Rewards
When trying to reach a goal, always take small rewards. If you're running a marathon, track coaches will tell you the last thing you want to dwell on is that the race is 26.2 miles. In fact, Paula Radcliffe, who is a three-time winner of the New York and London marathons, never lets herself think, "one more mile to go" or "another 40 minutes." Instead, she counts every footfall. She says, "When I count to a hundred three times, it's a mile." This helps her focus on the moment, distract her mind, and keep her body moving.

Resources
Special thanks to authors Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval for sharing this information. Special thanks to the Kaplan Thaler Group for giving copies of "The Power of Small" to our studio audience. For more information, visit thepowerofsmallbook.com.