The Power of 1

Forget giving 100%. Just give 1%.

I read an article by James Altucher that was all about the power of making incremental improvements in areas of your life.

The concept is so simply powerful it bears repeating. Making small improvements in the various areas of your life make a huge impact over time. Author Darren Hardy in his book The Compound Effect talks about the power of habit. Habit is simply about small steps done repeatedly over time. Making a 1% improvement in various areas of your life will make a 100% change over time.

There are many areas that you can apply this concept to. Applying the “1%” to these areas will put you well ahead of most people. My only word of advice is this – don’t be like I used to be. Don’t read this and do nothing. That does you no good. Take action on at least one of these SMALL steps (in the area that applies to you) and see your life change for the better.

FINANCES

Forget the 10% rule right now – start with 1%. If you do not have any personal savings, here is what you need to do. Save 1% of your paycheque. If you can live off 100% of your pay, you can live off of 99%. Calculate this exactly, and save it separately (a separate account with the amount set up to come out automatically is best). Voila, savings started. When comfortable, save 2%, then 3%, then get it up to 5%, then stop.

Step 2: Open a second account and repeat the process. What you do with this is up to you. You can simply make this a separate savings account – getting your savings up to 10% – but here is a better way to invest this second account…

PERSONAL GROWTH

I once heard someone (I think it was Brian Tracy) say that any dollar of investment in yourself leads to a 30% minimum return on investment! Your personal savings account probably does not earn that.

So what does a 1% investment in YOU look like?

The average book has 300 pages, so 1% of that would be 3 pages. Read 3 pages of a personal growth book or a book in your field daily – or weekly. Just read. Invest in your mind. If you read more, you will become a better co-worker, parent, husband, wife, business person, friend, person. At least one of those must apply to you, so read…grow…and change 1% at a time…

PERSONAL LIFE/RELATIONSHIPS

Single? Make a list of 25 attributes that you are looking for in a partner. Then take 1 of those attributes and find a way to exhibit more of that trait. Read about it. Find someone in your life who exhibits that behaviour and ask their advice about it. Work on becoming your list, and you will attract more of that to you. In your friendships, and your relationships. Like attracts like.

Married? Find people who are in relationships that exemplify what you want yours to look like and get around them, befriend them, learn from them. Learn from authors who write about marriage. Think of ways to improve your marriage constantly. Treat your marriage like a professional athlete treats his or her chosen sport. Always tweaking, working to become better, never coasting. Just keeping these ideas in your mind are what the 1% is all about.

HEALTH

This last one hits close to home with my background in Personal Training. The person that comes into the gym saying “I want to lose 20 lbs in 1 month! I’m prepared to work out everyday to do it!” is rarely successful. The problem is that this person is often the one who has NEVER worked out before. You can’t take your car from 0-60 without going through 1-59 first.

What’s that quote? “The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.”

You want to lose weight? Think 1%. You want to live a healthier lifestyle? Think 1%. 1% is the key to success.

What does 1% look like?

• Add 1 cup of vegetables to your daily eating
• Drink 1 glass of water more than you did last week
• Sign up for 3 sessions with a personal trainer to get you started on your plan. Make sure they do not expire. 3 sessions over the course of a year is 1% of the year (1% of 365 days….approximately)
• Make a commitment to work out 1 day per month, then 1 day per week. Just start somewhere

Hey this is not going to change your world, but the key is to start. Don’t expect it to be a fast process. If your journey to unhealthiness was slow, the law of balance indicates that your journey to health will also be. Sure you can try the “Biggest Loser” approach and go all out. Sometimes that works. Most of the time it doesn’t.

With everything in life, the key is habits, consistency, and a commitment to the 1%.

Change giving 100% to giving 1% – and your 100% will come.