The 1% Better Rule – Self-Improvement Philosophy

The Aggregation of Marginal Gains is a self-improvement philosophy of searching for a tiny margin of improvement in everything you do. Also referred to as the 1% Better Rule, the book Atomic Habits bases it’s subsequent advice and rules by adhering to this philosophy. There is always an area in which you can improve upon by 1%, and that 1% should be your main focus each day. Over time, the results will accumulate.

What does it mean?

The idea behind the 1% Better Rule is simply understood. Everyday, improve toward your dream life by 1%. It is as simple as that, but can lead to multitudes of gains if done consistently over time.

The Math

If you improve toward your goal by just 1% everyday, what would that mean after one week? One month? 6-months? 1 year? 2 years? Check out the table below to see how these 1% gains accumulate over time!

Why is this important?

The 1% rule is a mindset to adopt to always be on the search for ways to marginally improve your life. These ways are small steps you can take in the moment to improve – they must be actionable and reasonable.

This is important because the most overlooked areas of a goal still accumulate to the outcome you receive. All those you are competing against (including yourself) will continue to stay stuck behind if they do not consider the everyday actions that lead to their current results.

Let’s look at a case example together: Wanting to lose weight.

How to improve by 1% Better Everyday?

Let’s imagine you want to lose weight.

Your competitor: Yourself.

The goal: Lose 20 lbs.

Your daily habits:

• How much you eat (portion size)
• The amount vegetables you eat
• How many fruits you eat
• How much protein you eat
• Your daily steps
• Your workout routine
• How much water you drink
• If you take the stairs or not
• How far you park your car in the parking lot
• What ingredients you cook with
• What food you have in your house

There are many different daily habits you can adjust and improve upon that all add up to your goal. Let’s say we want to focus on your daily steps. If you currently only walk 5,000 steps a day, let’s focus on increasing that amount by 1% each day. This could be done by parking further away from the store in the parking lot, getting off the bus on your commute one stop earlier, walking your dog one extra block than normal, going for a walk while you talk on the phone, walking down each isle in the grocery store each time you go, the list goes on and on. If you focus on 1% improvement each day, after one day – you will walk 5,050 steps each day, after one week – you will walk 5,360 steps each day, after one month – you will walk 6,739 steps each day. Over time, these 1% improvements will add up, and the calories burned while walking each day will increase until you begin to notice differences in your weight.

This framework of 1% improvements can be applied to all of the habits that go into working towards your goal – and it is here that we should prioritize our focus as these small improvements compound over time.

By following these simple tips, you will always know what to expect, where your passport is at all times, how much money you’re spending on flights and accommodations (and when), and most importantly, that you are ready in case of emergency.