I think the key is in the line "Modifying behaviors at lower levels automatically improves behaviors at higher levels". Of course you're only making visible pro

I think the key is in the line "Modifying behaviors at lower levels automatically improves behaviors at higher levels". Of course you're only making visible progress towards writing your novel when you're actually writing, but if getting to bed earlier enables you to write more in a day (say, because you have more productive time available to you - some people work better in the mornings) then your novel-writing goal is accelerated by your getting-to-bed-earlier goal. Hence 'leverage'.