Before each action, ask yourself this one powerful question…
Today I was introduced to a book about transforming your life with one powerful question.
Those of you who know me will know how much I value questions as doorways to personal transformation. A well formed question can interrupt autopilot thinking, shift perspective and quietly redirect the course of a life. Questions bypass resistance. They invite ownership. They hand responsibility back to the thinker.
This particular book title intrigued me, especially because it boldly suggested that one single question would “do the trick”.
The question the author proposes is this:
“What is one thing I can do now, to improve it by 1%?”
Perfect.
It aligns beautifully with my business name, Forward Steps. A one percent improvement is exactly that, one step forward. Not a leap. Not a reinvention. Not a dramatic overnight change. Just a deliberate movement in a better direction.
What is one thing I can do now, to improve it by 1%? Share on XWhen you have the opportunity, I recommend reading (ad) Darren Hardy’s, The Compound Effect. It explores this principle at a far deeper level and explains in practical detail how small incremental actions, repeated consistently, produce remarkable results over time. What feels insignificant today can become extraordinary when compounded through months and years.
Are you looking to move forward in any area of your life right now?
Perhaps you want to take a relationship to another level. Perhaps you would like to improve your work circumstances. Perhaps you want to feel more motivated. Or perhaps you are in a season where you feel like doing nothing at all.
Here is a simple challenge for you.
During this next week, for every action and every non action you choose, pause and ask yourself…
“What is one thing I can do now, to improve it by 1%?”
Notice this includes non action. Even when you do not feel like doing anything, the question still applies.
If you plan a day of doing nothing, how could you improve your “do nothing time” by 1%? Could you switch off your electronics and phones so your mind genuinely rests? Could you prepare a quiet room for the express purpose of restoration? Could you make your rest intentional rather than distracted?
If you want to improve relationships within your family, workplace or social circle, could you be 1% more present in conversations? Could you offer 1% more hugs? One extra compliment. One additional thank you. A slightly longer moment of eye contact. These are tiny shifts. Yet they accumulate.
Within each task of a work project, could you stay with a problem 1% longer before walking away? Could you invite another person’s perspective? Could you allocate 1% more time to preparation or finishing well? That may be as little as five minutes at the end of your work day. Five minutes to clear your desk. Five minutes to organise tomorrow’s priorities. Five minutes to set up your workspace so you can begin promptly and calmly the next morning.
One percent does not sound like much.
Yet applied daily, across every area of life, over the course of a full year, I can well imagine the impact would be considerable. Slightly better choices. Slightly better habits. Slightly better conversations. Slightly better follow through. These are forward steps.
Go ahead and write that question somewhere prominent in your home, office and car. Place it where you cannot ignore it. Practice it deliberately this week.
PLUS check out these free gifts from friends…
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Hi, I'm Thea Westra at Forward Steps (forwardstepsblog.com)
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