Becoming a better version of yourself starts with the decision to improve yourself. However, the reality is that self-improvement doesn’t, and won’t, happen all at once. Instead, it’s a gradual transformation that becomes permanent.
The idea of gradual improvement is core to the 1% improvement rule philosophy.
This rule states that by focusing on improving only 1% daily, you’ll see results that are 37 times better than where you started. It’s compounding upon itself that causes such a drastic change over time.
Think about it this way, if you were served a giant steak or pizza, how would you go about eating it? You couldn’t swallow it whole. Instead, you would need to take it one bite at a time.
That’s the idea behind the math of the 1% rule. And becoming a better version of yourself doesn’t have to be earth-shattering than if you take it one day at a time.
To begin, decide that you want to improve yourself in some way. For example, it could be becoming more fit, reading more, or financially more stable.
If you look at the outcome, the task could seem to be overwhelming. But if you approach the task in small, incremental gains, then you could see some fantastic results. In other words, focus on the process of improving, the steps necessary to get there, rather than the objective.
Another example of incremental gains is to think about a marathon runner. A marathon is a little over 26-miles or 42-kilometers. But if they think about the distance they need to run, that’s overwhelming, so instead, the idea is to put one foot in front of another and continue.
There are markers along the way, including water stations to assist runners. Still, these break up the run’s overall distance, allowing the runners to see their incremental progress to keep up motivation.
The idea of one foot forward at a time or the 1% rule of improvement should focus on improving yourself.
For example, if you want to get in better physical shape? Create a plan that you can honestly sustain and find ways to stay committed even when you don’t have the individual motivation, such as joining a gym, hiring a personal trainer, or joining an online workout that best suits your interests, time, and budget.
As discussed, the best way to improve is to do so gradually.
Take into consideration the 5 pillars of self-improvement, which are:
- Desire
- Interest
- Commitment
- Discipline
- Accountability
But in order to achieve it, you must want to believe it’s achievable first. That’s the “desire” part of the equation. Desire to make a positive change and see it through.
Of course, people would like to be better off financially, live like a king, and have the pick of anything they want at their fingertips.
But that’s unrealistic. Instead, pick something you can accomplish in 6-months, 1-year, or 2-years.
The objective then is to create a far beyond reach concept that requires the commitment and discipline to see it through, even when motivation is not that great.
Commitment is the personal attachment you make to achieve something, while discipline is the steps to achieve that objective – think about the post office slogan, “through wind, rain, summer, and snow.”
Of course, nobody wants to deliver the mail in inclement weather, but the discipline to achieve the objective overrides personal motivation.
The benefit of incremental gains is that those goals are more accessible to achieve than a massive undertaking, so take it one bite at a time.
The final pillar of making improvements lasting is to find a way to become accountable to the goal. Find a buddy, coach, family member, or friend, someone you will respect to keep you on track when you don’t feel up to the task.
Make it a two-way street so that accountability is both ways to prevent any irritation when your partner pushes you to get moving.
The goal is to make incremental gains rather than wait for a perfect opportunity to improve, whether it’s through exercise, sleeping more, reading more, or simply becoming better at a trade or craft. The step-by-step approach will let you compound your personal improvement without over straining yourself.
