Whether it’s quitting smoking, exercising, or spending more time with the family, everyone has something about themselves they’d like to improve.
This desire to be better and do more is underpinned by the huge self-improvement industry, which has been tipped to enjoy a growth of $13.2 billion over the next two years.
The explosion of the self-improvement industry is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, there are more resources out there than ever to help you on your journey. On the other hand, choosing the right method can now be overwhelming.
Deepak Chopra, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jordan Peterson… all these wellness and lifestyle gurus promise to help you create a new you.
A big issue with wellness coaches, however, is that they can present unrealistic goals to their audience. Not everyone has the money to hire a private chef to improve their nutrition or a personal trainer to create a custom fitness regime.
That’s where the One Percent Better method, featured on entrepreneur Kris Duggan’s blog, comes in. Instead of overwhelming us with lofty goals, the One Percent Better method offers a refreshingly manageable way to overhaul your life.
Here’s how it differs from other self-improvement plans:
1. It Allows for Burnout
At the beginning of a self-improvement journey, we’re often eager and full of optimism. We get out a journal and write out a list of ambitious goals, like ”‘lose 50 pounds by Christmas” or “get out of debt by 2022.”
In the digital world, social media can trick us into believing that results need to be drastic and visible to others to be worthy of celebration. This pressure to instantly achieve your goals can cause you to go into fight-or-flight mode.
There’s nothing wrong with setting goals, but the danger comes from overwhelming yourself into inaction. Think of the last time you went on a diet. Whenever you “messed up,” did you suddenly feel the urge to throw away the whole day or even the rest of the week?
With the One Percent Better method, you’re encouraged to celebrate the little wins. You don’t need to start over every time you experience a setback.
You might take longer to reach your target, but this process encourages sustainable growth and habit-forming, which will lead to greater gains over time.
As Albert Einstein said, “…compounding is the greatest mathematical discovery of all time.”
2. It Focuses on the Journey Not the Destination
Another problem with many self-improvement programs is that they rely on a finish line. “I want to be size 04,” is a good example of this. This goal only focuses on the destination of being a smaller size, not how to achieve it.
Using this system, it wouldn’t matter whether you used laxatives and smoking or a healthy diet and the gym to achieve the end result, as long as you got there. This is not a beneficial mindset or positive way to treat your body.
With the view of self-improvement as a destination, you can also easily fall back into the trap of all your bad habits (like binge eating) the moment that you meet your goal. Soon enough, you’ll be back where you started.
Instead, the One Percent Better way challenges you to tackle your biggest hurdles in a small way daily to form positive habits. It primes you for a lifetime of better choices as opposed to a temporary adjustment until your goal is met.
Self-improvement should be a life-long journey.
3. It Encourages Radical Self-love
Goals, while positive in theory, can sometimes reinforce our own negative self-image.
When we set a definite goal, there can be a tendency to believe that we should berate ourselves until we achieve it. Or that we aren’t worthy of love until the scale reflects the right number.
The One Percent rule forces us to acknowledge the power of each little step. All you need to succeed is to keep traveling in the right direction. You are worthy. Not in 10 pounds or when you secure that promotion.
If you find yourself struggling to make long-term changes or commit to your goals, look into the One Percent Better movement today. It’s time to stop focusing on little setbacks and start celebrating the wins!
