Book Review: Tiny Leaps, Big Changes By Gregg Clunis

🔥 Why This Book Matters for First Responders

When your schedule is unpredictable and the work never really stops, the idea of career planning can feel overwhelming. Enter Tiny Leaps, Big Changes—a book (and podcast) created for people who want to grow, but don’t always have the energy or time for radical change.

Gregg Clunis offers a simple, powerful truth:

“You don’t need massive change. You need small, intentional action.”

For paramedics and first responders, this is a lifeline. It shifts the focus from pressure to progress, encouraging you to take one manageable step at a time. And over time, those steps lead to real momentum.

🧠 Core Insight: Action Builds Identity, Not the Other Way Around

Clunis challenges the myth that you need clarity, motivation, or confidence before taking action. Instead, he flips the script:

Take action first. Confidence and clarity will follow.

This directly supports our “Confidence Loop” and “Small Win Stack” themes at Respondr. Even a 10-minute step—like journaling, messaging a mentor, or updating your skills list—can shift your internal dialogue from “I don’t know where to start” to “I’m already moving.”

🔄 Relevance to Career Resilience

Clunis doesn’t just preach positivity, he focuses on sustainable effort. That’s essential for first responders, who are already operating under high emotional and physical loads.

Here’s how his approach helps build career resilience:

• Small wins restore momentum when you feel stuck

• Daily micro-decisions (e.g., saying no, setting boundaries, asking for help) protect your long-term wellbeing

• Progress tracking reinforces your sense of control and growth, even when the job feels chaotic

Clunis’ work is especially helpful when you’re between goals, in a flat period, or questioning what comes next. His podcast offers regular, bite-sized episodes on building systems, mindset shifts, and habits ... all applicable to first responders navigating demanding careers.

✅ Practical Strategies You Can Try This Week

Inspired by Clunis’ book and podcast, here are three tiny leaps you can take today:

1. Write down one career frustration, then list one possible action
   → Start the “Small Win Stack” method we introduced this week.

2. Revisit a past success (shift, feedback, course) and note what it says about your strengths
   → Build identity through reflection.

3. Commit to one 15-minute action
   → Update your CPD log, listen to a podcast episode, or message a colleague. Forward motion = confidence.

🎧 Podcast Resource Highlight:

The Tiny Leaps, Big Changes Podcast complements the book perfectly. A few recommended episodes for first responders:

• The Power of Tiny Wins

• You Don’t Need to Be Ready

• Why You Feel Stuck (and What to Do About It)

Each episode is under 15 minutes ... ideal for listening on the way to a shift or during downtime.

🧭 Final Reflection

Resilience doesn’t require a reinvention. It requires motion. Tiny Leaps, Big Changes is the blueprint for first responders who want to build confidence, purpose, and progress, without burnout.

Start small. Move forward. Let those wins remind you who you are and what you’re building.

You can access Tiny Leaps, Big Changes via print, digital or audio format. A link to the website is below which has the podcast and other resources.