#661 The Secret to Growth? Why Starting Smaller Leads to Bigger Wins with Christiane Schroeter

What if the key to growth isn’t working harder—but starting smaller?

In this inspiring conversation, Dr. Christiane Schroeter, TEDx speaker, bestselling author, and creator of the Petite Practice™ method, reveals how small, intentional actions can spark extraordinary progress. Instead of chasing endless to-do lists or bigger goals, Christiane’s framework helps entrepreneurs and leaders shift from overwhelm to momentum.

You’ll discover how the smallest shifts in mindset can create exponential results—without burnout or stress. Christiane’s blend of psychology and strategy has helped thousands of high achievers simplify their path to success while staying aligned with their values.

If you’ve been striving for more but feeling stuck, this episode will change how you see productivity forever.

🎧 Tune in to learn how to stop chasing perfection and start building progress—one Petite Practice™ at a time.

🔗 CONNECT WITH CHRISTIANE

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/christianeschroeter/

Facebook: https://facebook.com/doctorchristiane

Instagram: https://instagram.com/@doctor.christiane

Website: https://doctorchristiane.com/

Socials:

https://www.amazon.com/shop/doctor.christiane

https://www.tiktok.com/@hello.happy.nest 
https://www.pinterest.com/doctor.christiane/ 
https://www.youtube.com/@doctor.christiane 
https://www.threads.net/@doctor.christiane 
https://x.com/Christiane_711

📌 PROMOTION: https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/680acbb35fb6f0001547ba20

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Transcript

Intro | 00:00
Business insights on talking with the experts. 

 Rose | 00:11
Welcome to Talking With The Experts. I'm Rose Davidson, podcast coach and indie host, helping entrepreneurs amplify their voices. And today, my guest is Christiane Schroeter. And we're going to be diving into how we can start smaller and what is the secret to growth. Christiane, is a TEDx speaker, best-selling author and creator of the Petite Practice Method. She's got a PhD in health economics and a career spent guiding entrepreneurs, educators and high performers. And she's discovered a surprising truth. And we're going to learn all about that later. It's sustainable growth doesn't come from doing more. It comes from doing less with intention. Christiane is a professor of marketing and entrepreneurship and the host of the Happy Health Hustle podcast. And we'll talk about that as well. It's ranked in the top 1% globally. Her work blends strategy with psychology, clarity with curiosity and action with purpose. Through her coaching, courses and keynote talks. She teaches business owners how to stop chasing perfection and start creating meaningful progress one small step at a time. Christiane, thank you so much for joining me here on Talking With The Experts. 

 Christiane | 01:27
Thank you so much for having me, Rose. I love the introduction. It was absolutely amazing. Thank you for having. 

 Rose | 01:33
Me. You're very welcome. And it's such a pleasure to meet you. Now, most entrepreneurs are taught to aim high. 
 You know, And not to reach the top quickly. And, you know, that can be quite a challenge. 
 So how can we stop ourselves from, you know, the hype that, you know, even our mentors and coaches are promoting? 

 Christiane | 01:56
Yeah, actually, there's nothing wrong with aiming high, but it's good if you aim high and you think about the plan, how to get there. So if you think about it as a pyramid and your goal is on the top of this pyramid, right, there's two ways to get there. You could take... These weekly blogs BIG. Goals that you set yourself within the next week, I have to do that. Or you could even say within the next month, I could do that. Or instead of saying within the next week, you could say, all right, within the next seven days, I'm going to do that. 
 So each day of those seven days, I'm going to break it down into these small steps that we call petite practice as we listened in your introduction. So if you break down a month, into 30 days or a week into seven days, all of a sudden that goal becomes a lot more actionable because you're actually making it digestible. There's this funny saying, how do we eat an elephant? One bite at a time. And it's the exact same situation where you are reaching your big goal, but you're taking it one step at a time. 

 Rose | 03:07
And that's a really great philosophy to have. I mean, I, you know, I usually don't plan things. I just have an epiphany. I plan. Dive in and work out the details later. And, you know, most times it works out. That's how I started this podcast. I just thought, well, let's just start a podcast to help others during the pandemic. And I'll work out how to be a podcaster afterwards. And I mean, I've been doing this for five years and I'm still learning. 
 So, you know, it's... Growth at the same time. But, you know, if I had... Then what I know now, I would have started differently, I think. 
 So it's really important to know, you know, where you want to head in the first place, I think. 

 Christiane | 03:52
It's actually sounding just like my story there, Rose. I started my podcast on March 23rd, 2023. 
 So just coming out of that pandemic, I guess, right? And yeah, it was the same thing. I thought, I should start a podcast. And looking back now, I laugh about myself, how naive I was. And just in that one spur moment to getting started with recording things on a cell phone and looking around and looking at my husband and saying, I think podcasts have guests. Why aren't you my first guest? 
 Yeah. So, but then, Think about where we are now. Rose and I, we run podcasts and that's probably the second learning moment. That I had in my life. 
 So the first learning moment was that small steps matter because they create big impact. And the second learning moment is really that consistency always beats. That moment where you are like all right I'm just going to do just a little bit on this one day even though I don't feel like it so consistently always beats that feeling of like I'm going to wait for tomorrow Because if you just do a little bit on that day and you stay consistent on the next morning when maybe you feel a little bit better and you have more energy, you look back and you're like, I'm so glad I showed up for myself yesterday and I published that podcast. And maybe the next episode is going to be a little longer. That was maybe a shorter episode. But we still show up consistently because at the end of the day, there are people waiting now for the podcast and That's something too, you're changing people's lives. 

 Rose | 05:31
Absolutely. And I absolutely love my podcast. I went from doing six episodes five days a week. 
 So I was doing 30 episodes a week. And honestly, I After about six months, I'd had enough. I had to like just stop. 

 Christiane | 05:49
It wasn't exactly small steps, wasn't it? 

 Rose | 05:53
No. It was just get out there and do it. 
 Yeah, it was too much. And tell me, Christiane, I'd love you to share your philosophy behind the petite practice and what is it and, you know, how can people use it to, you know, take those small steps? 

 Christiane | 06:10
So the small steps could be applied to any area of your life. So if you run a business, Think about all these things you have on your to-do list. And there could be big things, there could be smaller things, but your to-do list is never ending, right? And every day you look at it and you're trying to tackle that big, long to-do list of 25 different things. And at the end of the day, you think, I only got three things scratched off. 
 So how about rewording that thinking? And take a petite practice by just taking three things from your very long to-do list and write them on your daily to-do list and then actually finish those. 
 And then praise your progress at the end of the day that you finish them. And on the next day, do the same. Take three things, put it on your to-do list. 
 At the end of the day, celebrate your ta-da list for getting those three things done. And that will actually create momentum because you're feeling you're moving the needle instead of looking at a to-do list where only three things are scratched off. You're looking at a to-do list where everything gets scratched off. All three things, you got it. And that is, from a psychology perspective, tremendously powerful because it really builds those endorphins of joy and you're giving yourself a high five. You can even share with your family, I got everything done today. Or your friends or your colleagues. And I think eventually you're really going to feel when you get out, I can do this. I can do this. I can get things done. And that is really the shift in the petite practice that you're creating, that you're setting yourself up for success and setting yourself up for failure by just overwhelming yourself. 

 Rose | 07:50
Absolutely. I mean, I... I don't envy the women who, you know, the night before we'll sit down and write a to-do list and, you know, it's got about 20 things on it and, you know, The next day they look at the list and think, my God, you know, and, you know, quite right, make the list small so that it's achievable and, you know, don't overwhelm yourself because you think that you failed if you didn't get through all 20 things. And I think, no, don't even do that. 
 I mean, I don't even write lists. I just think I'll just get up and do this and that and something else. 
 Yeah. I know that I've achieved something because I feel good about myself. 

Christiane | 08:28
And I love that you actually really tie this into females because we tend to be really hard on ourselves. It already starts in the language. And I remember when I had my first child, And I was so used to a clean household and not having things in the, you know, sitting dishes in the sink and laundry being done. And all of a sudden... I had to take care of another human being. And it was just totally throwing my whole routine overboard. And at the end of the day, that human being matters so much more than any dishes, laundry or to-do lists. And that's what you have to keep reminding yourself. That what you do matters so much more than any to-do list. And those moments, connecting with people, really leaving a mark in the world, your legacy matters so much more than scratching off that other to-do list and I mean, I think that we are our own harshest critiques. And that's something that we should all learn to become a little bit more you know, proud of actually what we accomplished instead of always looking what we didn't accomplish. 

 Rose | 09:42
Yes. I think that you're right. It is the female trait, I think, and it's ingrained in us in society. From early childhood that you know we don't do this don't do that then we you know we're not achieving anything but realistically you know if you even achieve one thing on your to-do list and it you know, you should, Give yourself kudos for that. 

 Christiane | 10:05
Completely. And I think that it's sometimes a little bit Just reminding yourself that there are So many moments in your life where you already accomplished things without even like working for it. It sometimes even helps to think, what was I five years ago? Five years ago, when you started your podcast, Rose, you were in a completely different space. 
 So now what happened in those five years has been tremendous, how your business has changed, how you have changed all what you learned. And I think that is... Just a good moment to not always look up and, you know, where others are or where you could be comparing yourself, but rather look at Where was I five years ago? That's quite amazing what I all accomplished and celebrate that. 
 So just pause for a second, instead of just moving forward, pausing and reflecting on what worked and what didn't work. So when you keep moving forward that you take that into consideration. 

 Rose | 11:05
Absolutely. And I think the little more steps that we do take, you know, during our day, during our week, during a month, during our life, you know, lead us to bigger and better things. And, you know, when we do reflect on them, especially when we're feeling a bit lost or not so good about ourselves, if we take a look back to the things that we have accomplished, you know, really we've achieved quite a bit and, you know, we, take ourselves for granted quite often. 

 Christiane | 11:36
Yeah, actually, when I was giving my TEDx talk and standing on that stage, I The first thing that I thought when I stood there was my gosh, I feel like home. And then the second thought that I had when I stood there was, How many times did I practice that? That I always rather stayed consistent with my practice and went through the talk, whatever, three times per day, five times per day. But I just kept that up, that repetition, even on days when my family said, I think I know your talk now by heart as well. 
 Yeah. I just went through it. And when I stood on that stage, I thought all these petite practices, the little moments completely paid off because I knew that talk so well. That I just had a great time standing there. And I think that was really what many athletes do as well, that you sometimes look at an athlete that won a contest. And you think my gosh, that amazing moment. But winning. Isn't comfortable. It's the whole journey that led there. 
 So the TEDx talk, it was like weeks and months of preparation. But in that moment, when I sit on that stage, I was so happy I did it. And you can see it in the video. I just have the biggest smile and I'm just like loving it and interacting with the audience. And it's, I think those petite practices are reminding us that we can achieve big goals and We just have to... Keep showing up for ourselves, for others. And really thinking about the lives that we changed because there were people in the audience that reached out to me afterwards and they shared their stories with me that. Came up during my talk and it was really emotional and I think that's really what we are here to do right changing other people's lives one small step at a time yeah. 

 Rose | 13:29
No I totally agree I mean I got a an email this morning from Buzzsprout I've only just recently changed to them to host the podcast and I It's only been, I don't know, less than six months and I had 2,500 downloads. And I thought, I mean, that's not like huge in the overall scheme of things. But for me in that six months to get that many downloads was absolutely amazing. And I was. Jumping for joy and you know I couldn't wait to share the news and I think you know all the hard work has been paying off. And I think, you know, if we as humans take those little wins and celebrate them in some way, it makes... The harder times less painful. 

 Christiane | 14:13
Yeah. Like maybe even write down some thoughts that you had during those moments or record yourself. When you found out and share it with the world or even watch it on those days when it's maybe hard. 
 So when I, Found out that I'm going to be a TEDx speaker. I recorded myself and I posted it on YouTube and that YouTube short nearly get as many. As many views now as my whole TEDx talk because I'm crying in the video and I'm super emotional because it was always my dream to do that. 
 And then I watched the TEDx video and it was Released? And I watched it with my friend. Who came to the talk and she said, we're going to watch this together now, even though I was at the talk, I want to watch it together with you. And so I had her on speakerphone and I watched the recording and I really started crying. And I'm getting really emotional about this now, too. But it was so special to watch the video and having her there. That she said, you need to record this right now because people know that wasn't like some like courier thing that you had. It was really something personal for you. It was something that you really wanted to share a message and coaches frequently help others, right? Because they underwent some struggle. And by looking at the transformation process, The learning that happened is really what they can help you with. And when I stood on that stage, I knew that. There is something I can help others with and I hope I'm impacting other people's lives. 
 So, okay, now I'm not crying anymore. Okay. It is. 

 Rose | 15:53
Important as coaches and even as humans, you know, that we can see that what we do matters. Exactly. My passion project is helping survivors of domestic violence because I'm a survivor myself. And I've just recently come out of a relationship with you know, that wasn't so great, but you know, For me to, Have that. Lived experience, I think gives me a better understanding about what other survivors are going through. 
 So even through the podcast, helping business owners is, you know, that was my aim in the very beginning. And, you know, people say, well, why don't you monetize your podcast? But My... Thinking is that I'm not here to make money out of it I just want to help people and you know I think I'm crazy. 

 Christiane | 16:52
Well, it's the same for me, right? My podcast is my passion. And I wanted to keep it kind of equal to where I'm feeling I... I owe that to my audience that I can share that recording with them. But at the same time, It's something to where I don't feel like they necessarily need to pay to listen to because I know that When I create it gives me joy. And I don't know, it would be the same if I were to get paid for it. I would nearly feel like I'm It's not the same anymore. I would my, the energy would shift a little bit right now. It's like positive energy and I don't want to make this like a project where I feel this is like an income stream and in my business because it's far more important than that. Money is just energy, right? And it's not about the money in this case. 

 Rose | 17:55
I'm the same. It just wouldn't be the same if I was charging my guests or charging people to come on or to listen or whatever I mean I’m happy to you know look for sponsors but I’m not happy to you know touch people to listen to an episode i just don't think it's but anyway that's just that's my philosophy on it anyway Christiane, how can we have a repeatable mindset shift that builds clarity, focus and results in our businesses and in our personal life? 

 Christiane | 18:18
It's beautiful. 
 I think that most importantly is to figure out why you're doing it. So Rose and I, we just shared why we are doing it. She shared her personal struggle. I shared my personal struggle. 
 You know, like really reaching goals that were important to you, no matter what it is. The repeatable action and the mindset really comes when you figure out what you want to accomplish. I know that I sometimes talk to clients and students and they're kind of at first They're not sure. 
 And then they're not sure whether they think I'm going to laugh about it or others. And I think that is really where We have to... As coaches create that feeling of trust that they can be vulnerable and they can share it. Because once people share what their goals are, right? It's really this saying it out loud, the telling to others, it makes your goal real and it brings your goal into the present moment. To where you're feeling it's here with us now in the room. 
 So how are we going to tackle this together? And that will create consistency because you put it out there. 
 And then you actually feel, all right, so now... Let's set a timeline. Let's reverse engineer. Let's do this together. I think that's really, it has to come from you and you have to be in charge of explaining to me exactly what you want to do. 
 And then I can help you get there because at the end of the day, I can motivate people right and left. But I feel It's much more than motivation. It's inspiration. 
 Yeah, the inspiration is inside you. You just have to tap into it. 

 Rose | 20:10
No, I agree. I mean, you know, and sometimes it takes a little bit of shifting to find that momentum that we, you know, and that little push. And sometimes it just helps for someone to be a little bit strict with us and say, you know, and You know you can do it, you know, and stop. Sitting in the background and just step out of your comfort zone.

 
 Christiane | 20:32
Yeah, it actually just presented at a writers' conference last weekend. And so one of my books is called How to Master Your Goals. And so my talk was about how to master your goals, right? And I shared it with authors in the room, And most of them had already finished their box and they put it out in the world. And some of them are wondering why nobody's buying it. And I said, well, it's a little bit like the runway before. 
 And then middle and then after, right? So the goal isn't just to publish the book. The goal is to get the books into the hands of people. 
 So the mastering of the goal is, in essence, to me, it's like the never ending journey. It's not like we can just sit down and say, that's not really how it works. You have to think, all right, so now. Yes, the book is published. 
 Show your face, but at the beginning, it could just be like a little quote or something if you want to share the anticipation leading to that book launch. And then afterwards... Again, it doesn't have to be big, just sending like a quick little email about what you did and what your book's characters are, anything like that. But it's, Yeah, that's sometimes... Require some nagging but then one lady after the conference shared with me that she posted her first Instagram post and that was exceptionally a high five moment for her there and i was like yay you're getting the word out I like it. 

 Rose | 22:20
Absolutely. If you want to find out more about Christiane, you can find her on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. She's got a website, drchristiane.com. She's on Amazon, LinkedIn, as I said, she's got two pages, perhaps, no, just the one. TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube on threads and you can find her on X as well. Tell me a little bit about your quiz, Christiane. 

 Christiane | 22:46
Yeah, I would love for you to take that discovery superpower quiz. Because you might just learn something about yourself that would let you tap into the best way to get there because you will get personalized results that will create those petite practices for you to reach that. 

 Rose | 23:04
Wonderful. And tell me a little bit about your podcast. What's it called and where can people find it? 

 Christiane | 23:10
- Happy, healthy hustle. So we're going to make your hustle just a little happier and healthier. And it is on all podcast platforms. And I would love for you to tune in on your way to or from work, picking up laundry, kids, dogs, whatever it is. It's short episodes. There are truly petite practices and they will bring a smile to your face. And maybe you are going to learn even something how to master your goals. 

 Rose | 23:37
Wonderful. Christiane, it's been such a pleasure meeting you. Thank you so much for joining me here on Talking With The Experts. 

 Christiane | 23:43
Thank you. 

 Outro | 23:47
You've been listening to Talking with the Experts with Rose Davidson. The podcast that brings you real stories, bold insights, and strategies that work. Be sure to subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast channel so you never miss an episode and dive into our full library anytime at talkingwiththeexperts.com. Until next time, keep learning, keep growing and keep talking with the experts.