We hear it all the time. “Give it 100%!”Or as my basketball coach used to say, “I want you to give me 110% out on that court!” He wanted us to give our all and then some more if we wanted to win the game.Though mathematically impossible to have or give more than 100% of anything, we got the point.
Be committed to everything you do and give it 100%. While giving your all to your work, family and the things you are passionate about, what if giving just 1% was all you needed to do to make a big change?
I can hear you saying, “What would I be doing by just giving 1%to something? What difference would that make?” Well, a lot!
Giving 1%
As one of our CashFlow GPS Advisors Larry Tyler stresses in his first consultation with our students, doing just 1% more each day can lead to big, positive changes in all aspects of your life. Especially, your financial situation.
Oftentimes we look at something, be it taking on a project, beginning a new habit or changing the way we look at or do things, as all or nothing. We’re going to give 100% and see it through to completion! That is until we realize that full commitment from the start is taxing on our body and mind. So, we either put it off or once started, abandon it completely.
You start a new diet to lose the weight you’ve slowly put on over the years, clearing out the fridge and pantry of all the foods you shouldn’t eat. Then you head out to the grocery store and farmer’s market and stock up on healthy vegetables and fruit, meat and fish, and lots of bottled water. You’re excited about the change soon to come. Additionally, fitting into those clothes in the back of your closet once again.
It’s all good for a few days and you think you have a handle on this “clean eating” thing. But then you see one of your favorite snacks while you’re out shopping. You think to yourself, “I’m doing so good on this diet, a cookie here or a piece of cake there won’t matter.”
Next thing you know, the fridge is refilled with processed foods and the pantry is stocked full of cookies, cakes, and assorted candy and you’re back to where you started.
Small Change
Now, what if, instead, each day you changed just one thing in your diet. You added more vegetables to one meal or ate half of the portion of meat at dinner than you usually do. You did the same thing the next day and the next; just making a small, call it 1%,change.
Soon the weight is starting to come off, you’re not missing the junk food and you’re feeling and looking better. Even your friends notice and compliment you!
Now, look at your financial situation. What if instead of buying a cup of coffee every day on your way to work and spending upwards of $5.00 for each latte or cappuccino, you woke up 15 minutes earlier and brewed your own at home. $5 times 30 days is $150 a month, times 12 months is $1,800 a year. That’s $1,800 you could invest, use to pay offa credit cardor save your child’s education. One little thing. 1%!
I recently changed by communications and auto insurance carriers and my savings will be $140 each month. These were little things, that 1%, but it adds up and I’m committed to putting that money towards paying off a couple of credit cards that I used to get my business started. Paying those down will do a little thing each month, namely improving my credit score by a couple of points until it’s back to “excellent” instead of just “good.”
Maybe you have a company you use for office supplies or an auto shop where you get your car serviced, and there is another who offers the same or better products or services but charges less. That one change could mean significant savings and improve your cash flow.
Start looking around. Where in your life can you make a 1% improvement? What 1% more could you do every day to change where you are and set you in the direction of getting to where you want to be? It just takes giving 1%!
Geo Ropert, APR is the president of Ropert and Partners Public Relations – Marketing Communications. His firm is providing strategic public relations services to CashFlow GPS. Geo is participating in our program to gain an in-depth understanding of how cash flow can be improved. He is writing these blogs based on his personal experiences and for the benefit of those looking to “get free and stay free!”
I love the mindset of a small change over time on a consistent basis creates a big shift. I mean when you think of it this way..this is something achievable.
It’s the compound effect – continuous efforts over time amount to great gains
AND (adding new dimensions)
it’s the 1% or 1 degree that when added/applied can transform the manifestation of the mass – like 1 degree colder and ice will freeze or 1 degree hotter and water will boil.