10 Simple Practices That Make You 1% Better Every Day

I get frustrated with myself whenever I think I need to be drastically different.

That feeling usually shows up when I’m standing at the edge of change—when I tell myself I need a complete overhaul, a new personality, a stricter routine, or a more disciplined version of who I am. Big change sounds impressive. It also feels heavy.

Small change, on the other hand, feels possible.

I learned this clearly during a time when I was involved in church missionary service. I found myself asking people to make enormous shifts all at once—quit smoking, stop drinking, attend church more frequently, adopt a whole new way of living. The intention was good. The results were mixed.

What I noticed was simple: drastic change overwhelms people. Small change invites them in.

That realization stuck with me.

Over time, I started paying attention to the small things that quietly shaped my own life.

One of them is almost embarrassingly simple: every day, I read and recite a short piece of motivation. It takes very little time. It doesn’t look impressive. But it aligns my day in a way I can feel. It’s a gentle reset before momentum takes over.

Another is donating blood.

I’ve donated more than eight gallons through the American Red Cross. No one sees that habit day to day. It doesn’t show up on a resume. But it reminds me that small, repeated acts matter—and that consistency can quietly compound into something meaningful.

I’ve come to realize that I’m wired for streaks. I like small things done consistently. When the streak breaks, it throws off my rhythm. Not because I failed—but because I lost the thread of continuity that helps me trust myself.

At the same time, I’ve learned that too many small things can still become too much. When that happens, I give myself permission to reset. I audit my commitments. I prune what no longer fits. I decide—again—what matters most.

That’s what 1% better actually looks like in real life.

10 Simple Practices That Help You Get 1% Better Every Day

These aren’t hacks or rules. They’re quiet orientations—small practices that compound when you let them.

1. Choose small change over dramatic reinvention.
You don’t need to become someone else. You just need to take one honest step forward.

2. Anchor your day with something grounding.
A short reading. A reflection. A moment of intention. Small inputs shape the tone of everything that follows.

3. Commit to consistency, not intensity.
Streaks matter because they build self-trust, not because they’re perfect.

4. Let your habits be quiet.
If a practice works, it doesn’t need an audience.

5. Pay attention to what compounds.
Small acts—like giving, learning, or showing up—add up in ways you can’t see right away.

6. Notice when something gets easier.
Ease is a signal. It means growth is happening beneath the surface.

7. Allow yourself to reset without judgment.
Auditing your life isn’t failure. It’s maintenance.

8. Prune what no longer matters.
Growth isn’t only about adding. Sometimes it’s about letting go.

9. Use internal metrics.
Mood. Energy. Confidence. Clarity. These tell you more than numbers ever will.

10. Be gentle when progress is slow.
If you’re working on something, you don’t need to be hard on yourself. Trust the process.

The thing people misunderstand about getting 1% better is that it’s almost invisible.

You can’t measure it easily. You can’t point to it after a single day. But you can feel it. It shows up as a little more ease. A little more patience. A little more confidence in yourself.

That’s how I know I’m improving—not because I’ve transformed overnight, but because I’m moving through things with less resistance than I used to.

And that’s enough.