The Power of 1% Better Every Day

What’s one tiny thing you could do today to be 1% better? It could be as simple as taking three deep breaths before a meeting, swapping a snack for something greener, or saying “no” to something...

Hey Team,

What if I told you that the secret to massive change isn’t in grand gestures, but in the tiny, almost invisible steps you take every day? That’s the idea I’ve been diving into lately, inspired by Steven Bartlett’s 1% Diary (yes, I finally got my hands on it, after the courier failed to deliver my first copy!) and well its something that I have always lived by, where I highlighted in one of my earlier posts about why the little things matter more than we think.

The little things

So i’m starting a new chapter this week. To be 1% better everyday.

Ive always believed in the little things being the most important thing to focus on. Ive posted about it, and lived by the mantra ”Its the little things that make a difference” for a few years, and thought well, It’s my 100th Post, so why not share my next challenge and see where it takes me. One Hundred posts? Yip nearly 2 years of posting, I never thought I would have that much to say yet each week I find something to talk about or something to share that might be useful or bring value to my audience. Well this post might be a little self indulgent, but I like to share, and maybe just maybe it will help another person, or change someone’s outlook on life. So here goes.

I listen to a lot of podcasts, but my go to podcast has always been Steven Bartlett’s - A Diary of a CEO. I learn so much from his podcasts and find it extremely rewarding, I always learn heaps, and it enables a positive growth mindset. He has various guests covering a range of topics, though recently he released a product that I jumped on immediately, and have begun my 1% journey. The product was a Diary, the 1% Diary. Steven lives by a mantra to improve himself by 1% each day and is all about the little things. It’s a baby step or a little change, that can have a huge impact on your life, by using compounding gains. 1% each day for a year = 37% improvement over 365 days!

So for the next 90 days, to kick off my change, i’m aiming to improve myself by 1% each day. Doing something everyday to be better in myself, improve my health, and learn on the go. I have set some goals, and i’m diarising my thoughts each day on what I’m achieving and how the process is working. So what better way than to share my thoughts with my readers and allow you to witness what goes into being 1% better.

The 1% Diary...

This diary is a work of art in itself. It’s beautifully put together, has that new book smell, something that I have loved since I was a kid. In fact my first memory was smelling the kids version of the Encyclopaedia Britannica in my grandmothers house. I loved reading these and weirdly I sued to just sniff the new book, for that new smell from time to time. Nothing beats picking up a new book and the smelling the fresh book smell. Only thing that beats it is the smell of new leather in a car!

The journey begins with the book explaining why 1% matters, and the theory of compounding gains.

The 1% Mindset

Steven Bartlett, the main behind The Diary of a CEO, has been a game-changer for me. His podcast is a treasure trove of insights, but his new 1% Diary takes it to another level. It’s built around this simple, powerful idea: focus on getting 1% better each day. Not 10%, not 100%—just 1%. It’s small enough to feel doable, but consistent enough to compound into something huge over time. Bartlett calls it the “religion” of his team’s success with the podcast—obsessing over the minor, seemingly trivial improvements most people skip. I’ve started using the diary to break my big goals into daily bites, and honestly, it’s shifting how I think about progress. I discovered this when I did 75 Hard, but failed to follow thru on my achievements, falling back into my bad habits. Getting lazy and not eating right. Its easy to do, but i’m working through my reasoning in an effort to get heathy and this is another process in my journey.

The Little Things Add Up

I wrote about how life’s richness lies in the small stuff: a quiet moment of gratitude, a five-minute walk, or tweaking one tiny habit. I argue that we often overlook these “little things” chasing the big wins, but they’re the real drivers of a better life. It hit me hard—how often do I dismiss a small effort because it doesn’t feel “enough”? Yet, when I started stacking these tiny wins (like drinking water first thing or putting my shoes out ready for a work out first thing in the morning, or taking a cold shower), I noticed a shift. Nothing dramatic, just a quiet sense of momentum.

My 1% Experiment

Inspired by the DOAC diary, I’m committing to my own 1% journey. I’m picking one small action daily—today, it’s cutting out my afternoon scroll session and replacing it with 10 minutes of meditation. Tomorrow, who knows? Maybe I’ll write one extra sentence for this newsletter or call a friend I’ve been meaning to catch up with. The point is, it’s not about perfection—it’s about showing up, tweaking, and trusting the process. These little choices aren’t flashy, but they’re the threads that weave a stronger, happier me.

Your Turn

What’s one tiny thing you could do today to be 1% better? It could be as simple as taking three deep breaths before a meeting, swapping a snack for something greener, or saying “no” to something or someone that drains you. My mentor taught me that its ok to say no, and seems simple on the outside, but man it’s harder than it looks, but worth it! If you’ve got Bartlett’s 1% Diary, crack it open and pick a starting point. If not, grab a notebook and jot down one small win you want to chase tomorrow. Let me know—I’d love to hear what you’re trying!

Here’s to the little things that lead to big change.

The Wrap

And that’s it for this week!

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