1% Improvements

1% Improvements

A map can 
help improve.

We talked about grading your lifestyle, then comparing a more accurate apples-to-apples look.  In part, this careful look at your life - bucket by bucket and dive down to the subcomponents allows us to really identify, then target our careful investments (time, energy, finances, etc.), in a more targeted, scapel style approach instead of a chainsaw with dynamite.  This small, 1% improvement style continuous improvement allows us to identify and target our pain points necessary to bring higher satisfaction and contentment.  This isn't exactly the Kaizen idea we've talked about, where you strive to be 1% better every day, but rather small upgrades to life that make life 1% better.  

A little better
every day.

Last week, we talked about an example of potentially moving to Omaha, in large part due to some general angst and getting caught up in the emotion that comes with new beginnings.  As we talked, when we graded the "this vs that," it became objectively clear...moving was the wrong answer.  That said, in doing the grading to help us make a more informed decision, we identified a few small things that made outsized differences in our overall satisfaction.  One small example was an upgrade of winter gloves.  That sounds silly at face value, but our climate is known for being cold and windy through the winter season.  Our family loves getting out...but cold hands were taking the fun out of it.  For an investment of a few hundred dollars in gloves, electronic handwarmers, and a "cocoa kit," we'd meaningfully moved our contentment in getting out in the winter.  

Little adds up.

And, like we talked last week, moving to Omaha would've been a $12,000 per year increase on an identical apples-to-apples comparison.  Our 1% improvement, as it were, $120 per year for warmer hands, perhaps saved us from letting a small frustration (cold hands) from costing us big time.  All in all, without a few small 1% changes...we might've thrown the proverbial baby out...and regretted it for all these years since.  

Trial and error.

In a similar example, when our first son was born, we were largely "overcome by events" and at max capacity.  My wife and I were engaged in a series of jobs, volunteer engagements, and had spent years packing out our schedules.  Instead of looking at 1% changes that were tweaking our "statute" with sandpaper instead of a chisel or sledgehammer, we started a new proverbial statute.  Within the span of a few months, we both extricated ourselves from most of our volunteer commitments, switched organizations that we worked for, and moved from an apartment to a fixer-upper house.  As you might imagine, not a strategy to replicate.  

Engage in the
community.

It's hard to look back and second-guess what would've happened if we'd stayed the course...but we certainly know that we could/would/should have made small, not sweeping, changes.  Chances are, you can take a parallel on most any other part of life.  Instead of leaving your spouse over whatever frustration...perhaps try 1% changes like date nights, shared goals, couples therapy as preventative maintenance, or something.  Instead of telling your boss to "take this job and shove it," perhaps try negotiating fitness time, more time off, telework, or volunteering for a new project that builds a skill you've wanted to acquire.  

Wear a helmet.  

As we wrap up, hopefully you're thinking about the pain points of your current set of circumstances...and what are some of the small things... sometimes seemingly stupidly small things, that make life a little bit better.  Those little bit better items add up to perhaps help you reduce your stress enough...that you don't do something that you'll regret.  As we've talked, probably the first step is carefully grading against a rubric that is meaningful to you...then identifying carefully targeted investments that have the most move-the-needle ROI for your family.  Best of luck with identifying...and improving life satisfaction for you and your family.  It's worth it...and not that hard...1% at a time.  

With you in the arena, from ours to yours...Happy Trails!

Call to Action: 

• Pick out a couple of things in life that are 1% improvements opportunities in your life...do them (or start them) this week.  
• 1 - ___________________ 
• 2 - ___________________
• 3 - ___________________
• Discussion: Consider what you/your family could/would/should (level of commitment) and start/stop/sustain (action) in terms of committing to life being better in small, actionable ways.  

Further Reading, Motivation, and References:

- The Power of Tiny Gains