1% Better, Every Day
If we were given the choice to become better than we are now or stay the same, everyone would naturally choose to be better. Self-improvement gives us a reason to wake up energetic and excited in the morning. It provides us with goals and challenges to overcome so that we can reach our maximum potential.
Often, we have a hard time knowing where to begin. We set massive goals but we don't make achievable steps to attain those great heights we seek.
The best advice I've seen for continuous growth is the aim to get 1% better every day. Give yourself permission to make small steps and eventually, you'll see massive gains over time. As James Altucher says,"When 1% compounds every day, it doubles every 72 days, not every 100 days".
If we set goals that are too large our minds naturally want to stop because the mind can't see an achievable way to tackle the challenge. Get 1% better every day and those massive goals will be attained before you know it.
Focus on the 1%. Every. Day.
This is powerful. Combining the awesome power of compounding with a longer term perspective (including a healthy dose of kaizen).
Seeking big wins too quick can cause burn out and frustration.
In a similar way, the UK cycle team has been extremely successful in recent years and they attribute this to "marginal gains" - exactly what you speak to: small tweaks that when combined can have an enormous impact.
@stevelivingston I believe this is what truly puts high achievers ahead. These days everything moves so quickly that people are too impatient and want the 25% gains every day. It's impossible and causes burn out, as you mentioned.
This is a particularly good advice. But from a mathematical point of view, it is nearly impossible. Because how do u measure improvement in figures to be able to quantify it to 1%.
The statement above shows that consistency is key to getting anything done,so if we want to achieve our goals we have to be consistent and that can be by making 1% progress everyday just like you have said!