How To Comfortably Improve At Anyting: The 1% Method

Learn about the 1% method, which helps me improve significantly at anything without feeling pressured or anxious.

Apr 13, 2023

Introduction

Today, we can have almost everything — such as Information or communication — instantaneously! Instant gratification (e.g. through dopamine) has become an everyday norm for us. In such a world, it is essential to keep the balance and realise that some things are slow, hard-earned, and not instantaneous. One of which is our personal- and skill development.

We all have many areas, such as work, relationships, and mental health, which we want to become better at. Naturally, it can be overwhelming managing to improve at so many things. You might ask yourself, what do I start with? And how do I start?

The 1% Method explained

The 1% Method helped me adopt a more relaxed perspective about improving at anything. The method says that becoming 1% better every day is enough to make the significant progress we want. Most people spend too much time thinking about where to start and how they can improve best. In the end, the only thing this overthinking results in is stagnation or procrastination. The 1% method sets a clear growth mindset, no matter how slight the improvement may be.

You might ask, how does 1% make a difference? Shouldn’t I aim for more improvement?

James Clear, who originally came up with the 1% method, provides an example I really like. The British biking time, who had never won a Tour de France, got a new coach. He believed that by improving 1% in every area, they could make significant improvements. They started focusing on tiny details such as the ergonomics of the bike seat or what kind of cushion gives the athletes the best rest during the night. After just three years of focusing on 1%, they won the Tour de France consecutively for many years.

The importance of every per cent shouldn’t be underestimated. When we look at sports, 1% can be the difference between winning or losing. In the job market, it can be the difference between getting hired for your dream job or not. By making every per cent count, we can make the changes in our life we want to.

Why is it so difficult?

I started off this post by highlighting today’s fast society, which expects instant gratification. I believe understanding this is critical when adopting the 1% mindset. Today’s society influences all of us. For example, it might result in impatience towards seeing results. If we don’t see improvement, we can easily get frustrated by the process. This is also referred to as the “Valley Of Disappointment”. We fail to see the value of improving 1% every time because the work hasn’t borne fruit yet.

How does it work practically?

In our daily lives, we constantly have opportunities to improve. Some examples could be writing emails, arguing with someone or doing a workout. All these ordinary things in our daily lives are opportunities to improve.

The first step is to set an intention to improve at something. Setting an intention to improve can even bring more excitement and joy into otherwise boring tasks. Something can turn from a mundane routine into an exciting challenge.

The second step is to pick a small detail you want to improve at. Again, it does not matter how small it is! The only thing that counts is to try to become better. For example, you could focus on writing a more catchy headline for your emails, interrupt the other person less during an argument, or improve the position of your hands during your push-ups.

Thirdly, simply do it! See how it goes, and think about how you want to improve next time.

Outro

I like the 1% Method because it’s simple, approachable for everyone, and effective! The main reason I think it’s so powerful is that it shifts your mind from autopilot into growth mode. Instead of going about our days in the usual way, we challenge ourselves to improve.

1% improvement can be achieved almost effortlessly and might seem insignificant. However, in the long run, it has infinite potential and can help you to become the person you want to be.

What 1% will you aim to become better at today?