Get better

You Can Do Anything 1 Percent Better

Now it’s your turn.

Start by tackling something simple. If you want to improve on the amount of time it takes you to get ready in the morning (which ultimately will allow you to do more of what you do best), break your morning routine down into its component steps.

Start with potential problem areas. Do you sometimes have to hunt for your car keys? Find a place to always put them and then always put them there. (Hopefully my wife is reading this.) If you want to cut down on the number of trips you make to the grocery store, keep a running list on your phone and always refer to it when you shop. (Hopefully I’m rereading this.) If you sometimes go to meetings unprepared, don’t just slot each meeting onto your calendar; set a thirty-minute alert to remind you to do what it takes to be the most prepared and smartest person in the room.

Every time you do something less well than you should, add that to your 1 percent improvement list. Better yet, figure out how to fix it on the spot and add that fix to your routine.

Then be proactive. Look at the tasks you most frequently perform, break them down into component parts, and ask yourself two questions about each of the steps required:

Do I need to do this at all? (Often you don’t. But if you do . . .)

Do I know someone who does this better? (I guarantee you do.)

Then consider that person a pro and do what they do. Forget the whole “I am unique” thing. Forget the whole “But I need to express myself as an individual” thing. You can still do that . . . but do it in ways that count. If you can improve one small thing, and another small thing, and another small thing, soon your success will be all the individuality you need—because you won’t be like anyone else.

You’ll be you—the you that you really want to be.

Which leads us to a really interesting place