Progress in 1% increments

Sometime back, I read Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results by James Clear. It was in the early days of my work on Guide Garden. Creating this platform felt huge and sometimes overwhelming. I felt comforted when I read in the beginning of the book about the “power of the 1% rule.” Even making a forward step as small as 1% was still movement toward launching Guide Garden.

I had so many interruptions, some joyous (family visiting) to incredibly frustrating (hello, technology and customer support!) But I could still do at least 1% toward the goal. I knew if I could relax and allow that this is what the path looked like, in time I would see significant progress.

Whatever you’re working on, it’s okay to allow your productivity to progress in small increments. When you get frustrated, notice how it feels in your body—without judgment—and whether you are chasing after or trying to avoid something. Notice what emotions you are feeling and the chatter in your mind about it. This is just part of life and you’ll want to learn to work in peace with it. Learn how your body and mind respond to situations like this. While your progress may not be as quick as you’d want, you’ll grow in wisdom and hopefully increase your ability to remain calm even in the thick of real life.