Confession time – I am not a big fan of business books that are written like a story or parable. At times they can come across (to me) as simplistic and almost condescending. HOWEVER, in that simplicity I often find the most profound and relevant messages and am glad I read the book.

The 1% Solution for Work and Life: How to make the next 30 days the best ever is a business and life parable. If you are like me you might hesitate to pick it up. If you do hesitate you will be missing a good read. Reading this at the beginning of the year was particularly valuable for me as the concepts of incremental improvement ring even louder at this time of year.

Tom Connellan reminds us that we will rarely, if ever, be the best in a given pursuit. He also goes on to explain how the difference between first place at the Olympics, and in many endeavors, and second place is often less than one-percent. He challenges you to think about your life differently and to make your life one percent better. Then one percent more.

Americans love the long ball. We look for the big win and the home run solution. Unfortunately, those are few and far between. True success is more often based on hard work and diligent application of the principles that we all KNOW work. Somehow though we allow ourselves to get sidetracked as we are pushed back into mediocrity.

As you read The 1% Solution you will probably say to yourself, “Oh, I know that.” Of course, the question that prompts is, “are you doing it, consistently?” For most of us, the answer is no. 

So, we go back to the crux of the matter. Can you get one-percent better?  Connellan reminds us that the Olympic motto is swifter, higher, stronger. It is not swiftest, highest, strongest.  I know I find myself, from time to time, comparing myself to others. I also know, as Connellan affirms, that the real comparison should be to myself over time. Am I getting better, even one-percent better, over time?

The 1% Solution is just what you need to make those resolutions (no matter when you make them) stick. 

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 9th, 2011 at 6:11 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.