The Amazing Power Of 1%

 in Blog

I am constantly looking for ways to optimize.

This becomes a blessing and a curse for a few reasons. A blessing in the fact that almost everything on this planet interests me. A curse because I can never truly become good at every single one of them.

As with everything, my brain begins to associate almost every situation with numbers. This has led me to come up with the best way to improve at virtually anything over time. A way to improve your health, wealth, goal setting, skills, hobbies, and habits.

It is the most simple concept in the entire world. A child can implement the same discipline and change the way they operate for the better. But, there’s a kick. It’s the tortoise approach. It is slow moving and feels as if you are not improving at all.

That being said, it is extremely powerful because it compounds as time goes on.

Your silent success creeps up on you, almost entirely noticeable unless you look back on your progress. Yet, if you implement your plan and stick to it, it will almost be guaranteed to work.

The Amazing Power of 1%

If you are the guy or gal who likes to read articles that talk about getting rich quick or get 6 pack abs in 6 days, I will catch ya on the flip side. This is not for you. But, if you are willing to stick to a plan and gradually see your results and skills develop, then stick around for awhile.

Take this blog for example. I have been slowly, quietly, and somewhat non-aggressively building my audience since 2015. For the most part, on a day to day level, I am looking for very small wins. A few email subscribers here, a few connections there. But, I have come from 5 or so readers per day (most of which I am sure were my mom), to thousands. My email list has gone from 10 (3 of which were my own email addresses for testing) to thousands.

On a daily level, it looks like nothing has changed.

But, in the grand scheme of things, everything has changed.

The reason is my focus is simple, concise, and to the point. I want to get 1% better every single day. That is it. 1%.

There’s no pressure to go viral. There is no worry if I have an off day of only a handful of readers, I am here to serve and grow.

What if You Implemented the 1% process to the Things That Matter Most?

Don’t worry, I will tell you.

A few things will happen:

  • You will gradually improve beyond trying to get things done quickly.
  • You will reduce your stress levels.
  • You will potentially grow 365% in your first year.
  • You won’t quit.

Now, I understand that you can not get better at some things at a 1% rate on a daily basis.

Fitness for example would be impossible to do this. When I started lifting weights, I could barely lift the bar, but gradually my strength increased. If I wanted my strength to increase 365% every year, it would be physically impossible at a certain point, thus leading me to adjust my goals at a plateau.

Another example would be if you wanted to save more money. This method is unbelievable in helping others increase their savings rate. But, it would be a much wiser decision to adjust your savings goals by 1% per month instead of 1% every single day. You have a finite amount of money and it would be impossible to continue to save more money. But, if you let compound interest do the work for you, you may be able to increase your wealth at a rate faster than you ever imagined. Take a look at Warren Buffett for example.

As you can see, 99% of his wealth was in the last quarter of his life. Yes, most of us will never even get close to the Buffett levels of wealth, but we can use the same principles to improve upon every single thing we care about.

The Compound Effect

As you begin to get better at the things you care about on a daily or monthly basis, you will begin to gradually see change in your life. Consistency is the lifeblood of the practice and embracing the small wins is the key. If you are known as a quitter after not seeing results, you need to track your progress, so you can actually see your progress.

People tend to quit when they don’t see the results. Usually, they are improving in small percentages and just can not see the results. That is why tracking your progress on a spreadsheet on a spreadsheet or word document can make all the difference. 

Here are a few examples of things you can improve by 1%:

Career

  • Increase your clients by 1% every week.
  • Increase your income by 1% every month.
  • Improve your quarterly results by 1% every quarter.
  • Increase your productivity by 1% every day.

Finances

  • Save 1% more of your salary per month for retirement until you reach your goal. Monthly too hard? Try quarterly.
  • Invest 1% more per month.
  • Spend 1% less per month.
  • Pay off 1% your debt per week (Over half will be gone by years end).

 Fitness

  • Improve your 1 rep max by 1% per month (1rm is the most you can lift one time for any given exercise).
  • Increase your running time by 1% per mile every month.
  • Lose 1% of your body weight per month if trying to lose weight.
  • Gain 1% of your body weight per month if trying to gain weight.

Personal Development

  • Spend 1% more of your time with family per week (14.4 minutes).
  • Read 1% more per day.
  • Give 1% more time to your hobby or things you love.
  • Get 1% closer to your goals.

The list can go on…

As you go through the areas of life that you would like to improve, you will see that the concept is simple. Small improvements over time, lead to big results. Speed is almost never the right answer for most situations.

Conclusion

Developing a richer, happier, and more fulfilling life often does not come easy. As our knowledge, skills, and experiences, develop we tend to become improve. Learning to love the process, develop relentless consistency, and celebrating the small wins, will help you achieve any goal you set for yourself. Always aim high, then develop systems to chase that goal every day.

andrew
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