Happy Sunday! Let’s talk about growth. We all want it. We all crave it, but the advice out there is so mundane and high level.

We all want Six pack abs. A bajillion dollar exit. Inner peace so strong you don't even flinch when someone cuts you off in traffic.

But when we imagine change, we picture it like a movie montage. The rocky music, the sweat, the dramatic sunrise runs. (Cue slow-motion emotional breakthrough while a single tear slides down your cheek.)

Reality check:

Change doesn’t feel like a montage.

It feels like eating one less chip today.
It feels like reading two extra pages before bed.
It feels like making the slightly less shitty choice when no one’s watching.

Tiny. Boring. Almost invisible.

And that’s exactly why it works.

Why Most People Stay Stuck (Even When They "Want It Bad")

You’re Chasing Big Leaps Instead of Small Wins

Most people treat personal growth like a lottery ticket. “If I just find the RIGHT hack/book/mushroom supplement, my life will totally change overnight!”

You won’t. And this is actually why most people fail on setting massive goals.

Your BHAG was never meant to be the only goal you have for yourself, yet the books, the courses, the coaches all tell you to think big… maybe too big.

The 1% Rule flips this. Don’t swing for the fences. Nudge the ball forward. Every day.

You’re Underestimating Compounding Interest

You understand compounding when it comes to your 401(k).
(Or at least you pretend to when your financial advisor explains it.)

But compounding applies to your habits too.

Tiny improvements don’t stay tiny.
They snowball.
They stack.
They multiply.

And 6 months later, people will start asking you… “Dude, what happened to you?”

You’ll smile like the Cheshire Cat because you know… “I got 1% better every day while you were still binge watching 2003 episodes of Survivor, Brad.”

Your Brain Is Addicted to All-or-Nothing Thinking

Here’s how it usually goes:

• Set a massive goal.

• Miss one day.

• Set your life on fire out of shame.

• Blame Mercury Retrograde and your ex.

Sound familiar?

The 1% Rule is the antidote.

Forget perfection.
Forget "all in."
Forget shaming yourself into change.

Just. Move. 1%. Today.

The 1% Rule Blueprint

AKA: How to Slowly Morph Into a Savage Without Breaking a Sweat.

Step 1: Pick One Micro Shift

Don’t overhaul your whole life. That’s how you end up crying in the Trader Joe’s parking lot.

Pick ONE thing:

• 10 push-ups a day

• 5 minutes of meditation

• 1 honest text to a friend instead of doomscrolling

• 2 pages of a book you swear you’re gonna finish someday

Something so small it feels almost stupid.

(If it feels stupid, you’re doing it right.)

Step 2: Track It Like a Maniac

If you don’t track it, your brain will pretend it didn’t happen.

Use a notebook.
A sticky note.
Your bathroom mirror.
Tattoo it on your forearm if you have commitment issues…(that’s why I have so many myself..)

Visible progress = Visible momentum.

Step 3: Celebrate Like You Just Won the Super Bowl

Your brain needs proof that small wins matter.

So when you hit your micro goal?
Celebrate like you just signed your first deal. Anyone following me in sales knows that feeling. It’s like getting married, having a child, and getting a shout out from your favorite celebrity all in one.

Dance around. Flex in the mirror. Send yourself a congratulations voice note.

(Yes, you’ll feel ridiculous. That’s the point.)

PS: If you do the voice notes (which I do), they come in handy the next time you feel a “Menty B” coming on.

Step 4: Let the Compounding Take Over

The magic isn’t in the day.
It’s in the days stacking on each other like tiny, sweaty Jenga blocks.

You won't see it right away.

But one day you’ll realize you:

• Don’t get winded walking up stairs anymore… who am I kidding, that never goes away.

• Actually enjoy reading instead of TikTok doomscrolling

• Handle setbacks without rage quitting your dreams

And it’ll all trace back to the day you decided to get just 1% better.

Make It Stick: Your Challenge This Week

This week’s move:

• Pick ONE tiny thing to improve (so small it’s almost embarrassing).

• Do it daily for 7 days.

• Track it visibly.

Optional Flex: Post it somewhere. Tag a buddy. Make it public if you need a little spicy accountability.

Because here’s the kicker:
Massive change never feels massive in the moment.
It feels almost stupid.

Until one day...
You look back and realize you’re unrecognizable, in the best way.

The Truth You’ve Been Avoiding

You’re not one big decision away from the life you want.

You’re a hundred tiny, invisible, boring, beautiful micro-decisions away.

And if you start today?

Future You will be so grateful that they’ll want to come back in time and slap hands.

Your Turn:

What’s one tiny shift you’re ready to start stacking this week?

Hit reply and tell me. (Bonus points if it’s something hilarious.)

– Ned

P.S. Know someone out here trying to "change their whole life" but can’t even change their bedsheets? Forward this to them. They’ll thank you later… I’ll thank you immediately.