I recently read this blog post by James Altucher regarding his version of the 1% Rule. The idea is that you can’t become a master in one day. It takes time to build skills and get to the level you want.

The key is to have small improvements day after day because the work you do compounds over time. If you have 1% improvement every day, it doubles every 72 days. In an uncanny coincidence, I just completed my 72nd post on 200WAD. Based on the 1% rule, I should be at least at double the writing skill I had when I started. It is difficult to quantify writing skill, but I certainly feel differently about writing after taking on this challenge to write every day. It feels like a real habit now. It has become automatic.

Thinking about doing something is fine, but that’s just thinking. Deciding to do something is fine, but still nothing has happened. The bottom line is taking action. Action is what matters. 

And every day is important. Each day you miss, you lose that day’s accumulation toward the compounding effect of the 1%. Worse yet, as James points out, if you go long enough you start to lose 1% per day. The compounding effect is just as powerful on the way down as it is going up.

Stop worrying about how long it’s taking. Focus on today and take 1% action today. Then take 1% action tomorrow. Make it 72 days in a row and your performance will be double where you started.

But you have to start by taking ACTION.

1-21-20

I am still a firm believer in this approach.

The small things you do every day matter more than the big things you do once in a while.

@brianball I think would agree that it boils down to action. Three cats are sitting on a fence and two decide to jump off. How many cats are on the fence? Three. A decision is not the same thing as action. 

How many times have you decided that you were “not gonna take it anymore” and the next day and the day after you are still doing the same things?

Taking action one time is not enough. Taking action a couple of times is not enough. Consistent action leads to long term results. The way you get to consistent action is through habits. Knowing how to build and maintain habits is one of the best superpowers. 

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard someone say, “You know, I just don’t feel like brushing my teeth.” Kids may try to get out of brushing, but most adults have a firmly-established habit. I don’t even think about brushing my teeth. It’s automatic. 

At this point, writing every day has become automatic. There is no negotiation. There is no contemplating whether I feel like it or using some excuse that I don’t have anything to write about. Now that the 200-word limit is no more, I could turn in a couple of sentences and call it a day. 

Not going to happen.

The writing habit is rock solid. I’m enjoying the process. I’m glad other people are enjoying it with me. 

Do the work so that your habits carry you forward.