Success is something that we all chase, especially in sports. Depending on the identity of the media darling or featured role model of the moment, ways to achieve success are many and varied. However, one of the best systems is Alan Stein’s and Todd Durkin’s 1-Percent Rule. Stein and Durkin are highly successful, and they inspire hundreds of athletes daily. 

The Rule

The 1% rule means you should try to be 1% better today than you were yesterday — in the gym, at practice, as a competitor, at work, at home, and in life. 

Focus On What You Can Control

Too often, in sports and training, a player will focus on what others are doing. In reality, an athlete can’t control getting more looks from college coaches or putting up bigger numbers. The only control they have is over their own development. Essentially, the 1-Percent Rule is about being better than yourself. Often, the biggest obstacle to becoming a great athlete is not others but our own lack of willingness or commitment.

Every time you have a training session, practice, game, or even a film session, try to outdo your previous results by 1 percent. No elite professional athlete became great overnight. It took time, patience and a lot of deliberate practice. It meant taking every opportunity to do one more quality rep, add one more pound of muscle or do whatever was needed to achieve a better result.

Improving Every Day

Becoming a better athlete means improving every day. It’s about surpassing your previous best and pushing through your mental limits. Strive to become one percent better every day, and watch your athletic ability and performance take off.

What will you change, and how will you improve, today?