My 2026 Resolution: The Astonishing Power of Getting Just 1% Better

As a new year approaches, I’ve been reflecting on what truly drives progress in life. For a long time, I focused on breaking down my big, ambitious goals into smaller, manageable chunks. It’s a powerful technique that I even wrote about after watching Steven Duneier's fantastic TED talk. It taught me how to start.

But recently, I realized I was missing the second half of the equation. I knew how to break a big goal into 100 small steps, but I wasn't focused on making each of those steps better than the last.

This year, my resolution isn't about setting bigger goals. It's about embracing a quieter, more profound philosophy: the power of marginal improvement. My goal is to get just 1% better, every single day.

The Simple Math That Changes Everything

The idea of a 1% daily improvement sounds small and insignificant. But the power of compounding is a force of nature. When I first saw the math, it blew my mind.

Imagine you have two paths. On the first path, you improve by just 1% every day. On the second, you get just 1% worse.

Here’s what that looks like after a year:

• Getting 1% Better: (1.01)³⁶⁵ = 37.78

• Getting 1% Worse: (0.99)³⁶⁵ = 0.03

Let that sink in. By making a tiny, almost unnoticeable improvement each day, you end the year nearly 38 times better than where you started. Conversely, a tiny, seemingly harmless decline each day virtually wipes you out.

This is it. This is the whole game. It's not about massive leaps. It's about the steady, consistent, and relentless pursuit of being just a little bit better than yesterday.

From Theory to Practice: My 3-Step Plan for Everything

Knowing the math is one thing; living it is another. My plan for 2026 is to apply this philosophy to every aspect of my life using a simple, three-step process for any task or habit.

Step 1: Break It Down (The Part I Knew)
Take any goal, no matter how big, and break it down into its smallest possible daily or regular action.

• Goal: Write a book. Action: Write one paragraph.

• Goal: Get fit. Action: Go for a 10-minute walk.

Step 2: Do the Thing (The Part I Was Doing)
Show up and execute that small, manageable task. Don't worry about perfection. Just do it.

Step 3: Ask the 1% Question (The Missing Piece)
This is the new, crucial step. After completing the task, I will ask myself one simple question:

"What is one tiny thing I can do to make this 1% better next time?"

This isn't about criticizing my performance. It's about a gentle, curious search for a tiny lever of improvement.

What This Looks Like in Real Life

• For my Health (My Daily Walk): I went for my 15-minute walk. The 1% question: "What if I walked for 15 minutes and 10 seconds tomorrow?" or "What if I focused on my posture for the first minute?"

• For my Business (Sales): I sent a sales email. The 1% question: "Could my subject line be 1% clearer next time?" or "Could I research the contact for 1% longer to find a better connection?"

• For my Growth (Reading): I read for 20 minutes. The 1% question: "Could I put my phone in another room to make my focus 1% deeper tomorrow?" or "Could I write down just one idea from my reading?"

• For my Family: I spent time with my kids. The 1% question: "For the first minute of our chat, could I put everything else aside and be 1% more present?"

My Commitment for 2026

This year, the 1% philosophy will be the engine behind all my major goals: improving my sleep, reading more, traveling more, and growing my business through sales.

It's also how I plan to make an impact. My goal is to positively impact one person's life this year. Next year, if I get 1% better at it consistently, maybe I can help two, and so on. That is the true power of compounding applied to a life of purpose.

This approach removes the pressure of perfection and replaces it with the joy of progress. It’s not about being great tomorrow. It’s about being just a little bit better, today.