Here's the thing, although lots of people are encouraged to improve by 1%, rarely do they go into detail into what that looks like in practice. In some cases, the "better by 1% rule" makes sense, like in the case where you are measuring quantifiable results. For instance, if I want to improve the number of steps I take every day by 1%, all I have to do is some simple math and my daily goal is easy to calculate.
But what about the areas that aren't so objective. How do you know that you're improving by 1% daily? If you have any goal you're trying to reach, the 1% rule is how you'll get there easily. Here are some ways to apply the 1% improvement rule to pretty much any goal you want to reach.
If you can't quantify your results, measure the time you dedicate to the action or goal. By increasing the amount of allotted time, by only a few minutes a day, your results compound quickly over time. If I normally engage in X activity for 15 minutes a day, adding an extra couple of minutes might not seem like much, but believe me, it is. And by steadily increasing the amount of time, you're increasing your focus. And we all know that focus is the secret sauce of our success.
[ Include New Actions ]
Improvement occurs when we veer outside of our comfort zones. If you are already consistent in your actions, perhaps instead of improving by 1%, you are flatlining. To combat this, I urge you to ask yourself, as frequently as possible, "what can I do to make this just a little bit better?" Slight improvements done over and over again can push you forward by leaps and bounds. I have experienced more growth and success in my life from the many small tweaks than when I tried to take some bold new action. Bold actions are great but they come with a lot of fear and resistance so we tend to retract. Retraction is the opposite of what we want so let's stick with incorporating consistent small, actions that stretch us to where we need to be.
[ Spend time with other One Percenters ]
If the people you hang around with aren't improving, it's easy to get complacent. That's why it's a must that you constantly seek out & spend time with others who are on their own journey to elevate themselves. This not only motivates you, but it gives you a little insight into how to be better at what you do. When I read about people who worked tirelessly to achieve their dreams, it gave me the incentive to work harder because I knew I would be better as a result. I can't be around people who are experiencing success without looking at my actions to see where I can improve in my own life.
[ Always be Assessing ]
If you aren't always assessing your progress and results, how do you know if you're getting better or worse? One of the coaching programs I completed last year required us to do daily assessments of our results. Each day we were to give a numerical rating regarding certain areas of our lives and our business. I took it one step further by doing an informal mid day assessment. Basically, by about 1:00 pm or so, I do a small recap of what's going well so far and what do I need to do differently for the rest of it. It's my version of course correcting for success. If you recall from a past conversation, planes are off course most of their time in flight, yet they still make it to their intended destination. That's because the pilots are always assessing and course correcting. It's a process that continues until the flight is completed.
Wanna make sure you reach your goal every time? Master this 1% improvement method and see how quickly and easily they manifest for you.
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