Hey Everyone,

The Rule of 1% is simple: Improve yourself 1% every day, every week, every month, just keep on improving.

Not sure where I picked this up, maybe Anthony Robbins maybe someone else. It works in any area of your life, physical, mental, social, emotional, whatever. You pick a part of your life you would like to improve then list the areas you would like to improve in. There can be as many as you like.

Let's use me as an example. I want to improve my physical fitness. I chose 5 areas in which I needed improvement; lower weight, improved muscle tone, improved cardio endurance, improved flexibility, and improved health indicators (BP, Resting Heart Rate, Lower LDL, Higher HDL, triglycerides, VO2). As with any journey I had have a starting point, I had to take measurements to create a baseline.

Then I set goals: Get down to 160 lbs, Strength train 3 days/wk, do at least 1 hour of cardio 6 days/wk, Stretch 6 days/wk, be ready by December 31, 2013 to compete in the Gasparilla Half- Marathon in Tampa in January 2014.

How do I get there? I improve by 1% each week and create monthly markers.

It takes a little work with a calculator, but here is an example. I take my starting number, say for my weight (238 lbs) and subtract my target weight (160 lbs), that equals 78 pounds. 1% of 78 = .78 lbs. To hit my goal by my target date (December 31) I divide 78lbs/52wks = 1.5 lbs/wk. So this is my range .78-1.5 lbs/wk. So, if I lose 3.1-6 pounds per month I'm improving by at least 1%.

I do a similar sort of calculation for each of my goals and use my health markers to check my progress on the 1st of each month. I don't obsess over the numbers as long as I keep improving. I don't weigh every day or even every week. Once a month on the 1st of the month. That's it. As long as I walk a little farther, run a little longer, ride a few minutes more each week on the bike, swim a few more yards in the pool each day, build up my endurance, increase my speed, lower my blood pressure, improve my cholesterol numbers, etc... I'm happy.

For me, it's easy. Follow the Rule of 1%.

Until Next time, JUICE to you all.

Jonny Mac