1% Better Everyday

For whatever reason, I’m currently on a bit of a book binge. Although I never liked reading as I was growing up, I have fallen in love with it lately. When I used to finish a book, I would feel exhausted and wouldn’t dare pick up another book for weeks or even months. Now, I finish one book and am dying to move on to the next. I just recently finished the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. I realize that this book is far from a hidden gem and many people have already read it. So, rather than summarize the entire book, I want to focus on what I believe is the most important takeaway: aiming to be 1% better every day.

In the opening chapter of the book, James Clear beautifully lays out the framework of how the effects of our habits compound over time. The concept is simple and easy to understand, which is partially why I love it so much. He says, “Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. The same way that money multiplies through compound interest, the effects of your habits multiply as you repeat them. They seem to make little difference on any given day and yet the impact they deliver over the months and years can be enormous. It is only when looking back 5 or perhaps 10 years later that the value of good habits and the cost of bad ones become strikingly apparent.” Because of the simplicity of this formula, most people can apply it to many aspects of their lives. Whether your goals are surrounding health and fitness, building a business, writing a book, or winning a championship, the 1% better rule can be utilized. Most of the goals listed here are difficult to achieve — they require commitment and dedication. Because of this, many people see the massive success they desire and wrongly assume that it requires massive action. However, as the author points out, we don’t have to make some earth-shattering improvement that everyone will notice and admire. Rather, we only have to improve by 1% each day.

1% better everyday visualized.

The compounding effects of good and bad habits follow exponential growth and decay curves. Good habits will multiply success while bad habits will reduce even the best talent to nothingness.

The primary benefit that I see from this mentality is immediate action. For example, in the case of building a business, it is hard for most people to imagine going from nothing to having a fortune 500 company. However, it is easy to imagine going from nothing to having 1% of a business. Maybe this means building a website or discussing products with random people you encounter. Whatever the start is, it is easy to get started. In other words, reminding yourself to just be 1% better eliminates the inaction that is often caused by anxiety and indecision. Additionally, I think it makes it easier to find things that need to be improved. For example, in weight loss, someone may be very good about being active but not so good at nutrition. With the default mindset, that individual may think “If I could just improve my nutrition, I would be so fit”. However, with the 1% better mindset, that individual can improve both the exercise and the nutrition simultaneously. Lastly, the benefit that is hardest to understand is the compounding effect of self-improvement. 1% better everyday compounds to be 37x better than the starting point (1 x 1.01 = 1.01. 1.01 x 1.01 = 1.02… continue this compounding rate 365 times and you get 37.78). For athletes, one year of focused improvements could take you from scoring one goal per year to 37, from scoring 1 point per game to 37, from being able to run 1 mile to 37. Think of ways you can apply this rule to your own life and your own goals. No matter what your goals are, focusing on small improvements can take you far with time.

Start small. Make improvements. Repeat. Eventually, this mindset will increase your capacity for achieving your goals. What may seem impossible now will feel like a small change in the future. It all starts with the belief that you can be 1% better today.