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Writer's pictureSteve Barker

1% is All it Takes


1% stronger than the others
The secret to success lies in being just 1% better than others

The secret to success lies in being just 1% better than others.


To enhance your personal development and make a mark for yourself in your respective field, you need to concentrate on the slim margin that determines success.

Let’s take into consideration the Amazon rainforest, which contains as many as 16,000 species of trees. However, the majority of the trees belong to only 227 leading species.


This is because these species are simply 1% stronger than the others, resulting in their domination over others.


Another example centres on the weeds in your garden, which are 1% more efficient than your plants.


They grow quicker, stronger, and in a much larger quantity than plants. If you don’t get rid of them, weeds can eventually dominate your garden.


The Pareto Principle

The Pareto Principle, founded by Vilfred Pareto, revolves around the unequal relationship between input and output. It is the assertion that 80% of consequences arise from 20% of the causes.


This principle is not a law asserting a precise 80/20 distribution, but it is merely an observation that has been often proven correct.


It originated from an analysis of Italy’s economy, where 80% of the country’s wealth was in the hands of only 20% of the population.


In a perfect world, each unit of work or time would contribute equally towards the result.


For instance, every employee would put in the same of work, and every new smartphone feature would be equally popular.


Such scenarios would make planning easy, but they are unrealistic.


The Pareto Principle can be interpreted to mean that most things in life are not equally distributed.


This may make it seem like life isn’t fair, but you can actually turn the principle around to your advantage.

In order to succeed, simply concentrate your effort toward the 20% that makes a difference, rather than the 80% that does not contribute much.


The principle emphasises the significance of the finer details in achieving your goal. The critical 20% is what you need to focus on for optimum results.


How to apply this to your Leadership development

The formula of improving by 1% is derived from the Pareto Principle of concentrating on the 20%.


Being 1% better than your competitors is a sure-fire way to succeed and enhance your personal development.


Here are 2 easy steps that can help you outshine others:


1. Identify Key Areas

First, focus on areas you need to progress in.


Think about an aspect of your life that you are not quite satisfied with, and find out ways to improve by 1%.


Remember to stay consistent in your efforts. The more you grow, the more competent you will become.


Once you achieve that 1%, strive for even better results by setting a 1% target once again.


2. Take steps to improve

Whether it is your performance at work or personal fitness goals, 1% is not a large amount and is easily doable.


Start off by making a schedule that you can follow religiously, and there you have it: you just improved by 1%!


Once you establish a pattern of improving by 1% each time, you are bound to keep achieving the goals you set.


Find someone who will assist you, help you be accountable and drive you when you are feel like you are running on empty.


If you want to know more about getting 1% better, visit my website



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If you have enjoyed this and found it useful, you may wish to check out my 2 Podcasts







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