Why Getting 1 Percent Better Every Day Changes Everything

When you think about writing a book, you might picture a tired writer, hair all messy, typing away at their laptop day after day. Their back hurts from sitting so long. It sounds pretty rough, right? After all, a book needs so many words.

But here's my story: I wrote my first book in just 90 days.

Fun fact: I started with just 300 words a day.

Yes, really - 300 words a day (that's less than half a page!).

I used something called the "1 percent better every day" rule. Each day, I tried to write just a tiny bit more than the day before.

Sounds too simple? I know - 1% seems so small you can barely see it. But let me show how it works:

Total words = (Initial word count * (1 + 1%)^Number of days - 1) / Growth rate

= (300 * (1 + 0.01)^90 - 1) / 0.01

≈ 43,410

After three months, I had a manuscript of about 43,000 words (approximately the same length as Tim Ferriss's "The 4-Hour Workweek"!). And all of this has been done by increasing my daily word count by just 1%.

But this blog post isn't about how to write a book. All I want to emphasize is the power of getting 1 percent better every day. See, that small 1% might not seem like much. A few extra minutes of reading. One more lap around the block. Learning just five new words. They all seem so small. But before you know it, you're reading entire books, running miles with ease, and speaking a new language.

Those little changes in what you do every day can change your whole life in ways you never expected.

How ‘1 Percent Better Every Day’ Truly Impacts

It's easy for us to dream about big moments and ignore the small daily wins. We often tell ourselves that big success needs big actions - something huge and dramatic.

But here's what happens when you focus on getting "1 percent better every day": After a year, you'll be 37 times better than you were at the beginning.

On the flip side, if you get 1% worse every day, you'll be almost nothing by the end of the year. It might not seem important right now to make a choice that is 1% better or worse. But these small decisions shape who you are and who you could have been over the course of your life.

It doesn't matter whether you're succeeding or struggling right now. What matters is whether your daily habits are moving you toward success - whether that's in your career, health, relationships, or personal growth.

Time makes the gap between choices bigger. It multiplies whatever you feed it. Bad habits can wear you down just as much as good habits can lift you up.

How to Apply "1 Percent Better Every Day"

1. Define your targets

First, think about what part of your life you want to improve. Your goals should be as clear as possible.

Instead of saying "lose weight," pick something you can actually measure, like "lose 10 pounds" or "run 60 miles each month." When your goals are specific, it's easier to see your progress.

There is a little tip I've learned: try to focus on just 1-3 main goals at a time. Trust me, we can't spread ourselves too thin by trying to do everything at once. When we try to improve too many things together, none of them really get the attention they need.

2. Identify tiny habits

Break down your big goals into the smallest possible actions. What I mean is:

• Want to write a book? Start with 300 words.
• Want to learn a new language? Learn 5 words today.
• Want to try meditation? Start with 5 deep breaths.
• Want to read more? Read one page.
• Want to walk every day? Walk to your mailbox.

These small steps might make you smile, but they work because they take away the pressure.

Here's what I've learned: starting is always the hardest part. But once you put on those running shoes, you might think "Well, I could walk to the end of the street". And once you're at the end of the street, you might feel like going around the block.

The key is making that first step so tiny it almost feels… laughable. Because here's the truth: you can always do more, but first, you need to begin.

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3. Focus on consistency, not perfection

Here's something I wish someone had told me earlier: it's okay if you're not perfect. Really.

Getting 1 percent better every day doesn't mean being perfect every day.

Don't put so much pressure on yourself to do all those tiny habits perfectly every day. Your goal isn't perfection - it's keeping those habits alive.

Some days won't go as planned. Maybe you'll miss a day entirely. That's completely fine - one missed day doesn't erase all your progress. What matters is getting back on track the next day.

You know what really creates change? It's not being perfect. It's showing up again and again, even after a rough day.

4. Track your progress

Try linking your new habits to things you already do every day. For example, after I learn my new words, I do 10 push-ups. This little connection makes it easier to remember your new habit.

You can use Habitify to keep track of your habits. Even when it feels like you're not making much progress, seeing those check marks add up can give you a real boost. Watching your progress in Habitify helps turn these new actions into natural habits, keeping you excited about showing up each day.

5. Stay motivated

When you feel down, take a quiet moment to remember why you started. Maybe you want to feel stronger, pass that language test by December, or write the book that's been living in your heart. Hold onto these reasons - they'll guide you when things get hard.

And don't forget to enjoy the small wins along the way. When I first started getting ‘1 percent better every day’, I kept thinking about the end goal. But you know what made me happier? Noticing the little things. Like feeling good after drinking that first glass of water, or smiling after writing just one paragraph. These small moments count.

You can also find people who share your goals. Being part of a community can help you stay on track, especially on those days when you don't feel like doing anything.

P.S. On Habitify, you can join friendly challenges with others who share your goals. When you cheer each other on, those daily habits start feeling less like work and more like fun.

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6. Iterate and adjust

Set aside some quiet time each week or month to look at your habits. Which ones feel easy now? Which ones are still hard?

For example, sometimes I notice I need to make a habit smaller. Instead of "read one chapter," I might try "read one page." Or change "workout for an hour" to "stretch for 10 minutes." And sometimes, when a habit feels too easy, I'm ready to do a bit more.

Sometimes we forget to see how far we've come. The other day, I realized that drinking water first thing in the morning - something that used to feel like such an effort - had become as natural as breathing. These ‘little victories’ matter. Each small win shows us that real change is possible. So, be curious, be gentle with yourself, and keep refining your path.

7. Embrace the long game

I've noticed that the most meaningful changes in my life never happened quickly. That daily glass of water, those few minutes of reading - they might feel small today, but this is what getting 1 percent better every day looks like. The changes that last are usually the ones we build slowly, steadily, without rushing.

And, you know, some days will feel harder than others, really. That's normal. On those days when your motivation is low, remember that just showing up counts for something. Maybe today you only read half a page instead of your usual chapter. That's still moving forward.

The Bottom Line

Let’s face it: there's no single "mind-blowing" moment that transforms us from one version to another. If that happens, I think it's only in Marvel movies. In real life, I believe success is more like slow evolution - a string of tiny wins and small achievements collected along the way.

The simplest way to become a better version of yourself is to start with the little things. Try to be 1 percent better every day.

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