Welcome to The New Mind Studio — your weekly space to think clearly, experiment boldly, and make progress that sticks.
In our first issue of 2026, we explore the concept of building an experimental way of working and living. And why it matters when you're leading through change.
Let's dive in:
CONNECT
In design, there is a simple idea: everything is a prototype.
At IBM Design, we call this “going through the loop.”
You don’t sit in a room and polish the perfect solution. You test. Learn. Adjust. And repeat.
Recently, I heard Anne-Laure Le Cunff speak live about Tiny Experiments — she’s a former Google marketing lead turned neuroscientist and the founder of the learning community Ness Labs — and it clicked:
This isn't just a design thing. It's a life and leadership mindset.
Most of us learned to think in straight lines:
Clear goal → detailed plan → execute → evaluate.
But leading in 2026 doesn't feel like a straight line. It feels like waves of change.
That's where tiny experiments help. They let you move with uncertainty instead of waiting for it to disappear.
Anne-Laure calls this living experimentally.
Less "I must get this right." More "Let me see what I learn."
By the way, Tiny Experiments is my favorite book of 2025. I genuinely recommend it.
REFLECT
What's a "pact"?
A pact is a tiny, time-boxed experiment. You turn it into a simple sentence:
"I will do [one action] for [this duration]."
It's a promise to stay curious, collect data, and only judge after it's over.
Try it: By the end of this email, you'll design your first tiny experiment for 2026.
Four qualities of a good pact:
Purposeful: Tied to a real question. "What happens if…?"
Action-based: Focused on a behavior, not an identity. "Write 10 minutes" instead of "Become a writer."
Continuous: Repeated for a set number of trials. Every weekday for 2 weeks.
Trackable: You only track "Did I do it? Yes or no?" No complex tracking.
How to design one
Pick one tiny action.
– "Start each 1:1 with three open questions."
– "Write for 10 minutes after my daughter's bedtime."
Choose a realistic duration.
– 7–14 days is plenty.
–"Every weekday for 2 weeks."
Write your pact:
– "I will [one action] for [this duration]."
– Example: "Write for 10 minutes after my daughter's bedtime for every weekday for 2 weeks."
Run the whole experiment.
– Don't tweak or quit early just because it feels weird.
– Like a scientist, you finish the trials. Then you review.
When the pact ends, look at your notes and decide:
Persist (keep it)
Pivot (tweak it)
Stop (drop it and try something else)
Why this works for change
Change isn't predictable. Big plans break when life shifts. Tiny experiments expect chaos and let you adjust quickly.
Fear shrinks. Each small test shows you what works now. "What if I'm wrong?" becomes "Let's see what I learn."
Confidence builds. Finishing tiny tests proves you can handle discomfort. Change feels less scary over time.
GROW
This is exactly the energy we need more of in 2026.
Treat life and work like a lab. Test ideas fast. Discover what fits who you’re becoming. Turn small wins into big change.
Your turn: Reply with one sentence: "For the next [X days], I will [small action]."
I read and respond to them all. And I'll be cheering you on from here. 🧡
Let’s carry the change,
Nadia
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