The 1% Shift:
How Tiny Changes Can Transform Your Life

Struggling to find time for personal growth? Uncover how tiny, consistent shifts can create meaningful change—even when life feels chaotic.

The Transformative Power of Personal Development

Life is an ongoing journey of self-discovery; from the moment we are born to the day we take our last breath. In this journey, the power of self-awareness, reflection, and creating space for growth can be truly life-changing. The key to transformation lies in our ability to adjust the course of our lives with intention, guiding ourselves in new and empowering directions. Often, it only takes a one percent shift—small, consistent efforts over time—that can lead to profound changes. This doesn’t have to be all-consuming!

Making Time in a Busy Life

Now, if you’re anything like me—juggling a busy family, multiple businesses, and trying to stay true to who you are amidst the chaos—you know how hard it can be to find time for personal development. But this isn’t a quick six-month fix. Personal growth is a lifelong practice. There will be times when we can fully immerse ourselves, and other times when life takes over. And that’s okay. What matters is that we make mindful choices along the way, like tuning into a personal development podcast or audiobook instead of the radio during everyday tasks. I can guarantee you’ll find a golden nugget or light bulb moment where you think “Wow, that’s so true” or “Oh my goodness, YES” and in that moment you’ve already made an intention to test something new or make a slight change.

The Wisdom of Jim Rohn

If you had asked me in my early 20s what personal development was, I would’ve probably thought it was reading books or taking advice from someone who called themselves a “guru.” But now, I’d encourage you to look beyond the social media personalities and turn to the timeless wisdom of those who have truly mastered personal growth. For me, Jim Rohn is that icon. His philosophy is simple: “The same wind blows on us all, but it’s the setting of the sails that determines our direction.” This analogy perfectly captures the essence of personal development—life will always have storms but how we set our sails (our mindset) really will determine how fast we come away from the storm and how much damage we allow in. Another is how Jim Rohn would talk about planting a harvest. You plant the seeds and not all will grow, we do not have the power of controlling all our lives, we need to have the mindset that sometimes the bird will eat the seeds, sometimes the weather may damage our crop and sometimes things will soak up the sunshine and harvest how we want them. The key is to keep going, despite life’s inevitable challenges.

The Power of Embracing “No”

One powerful mindset shift in business I’ve learned is the art of embracing the word “no.” Instead of fearing rejection, I now view each “no” as an opportunity for growth. It is so easy to laser focus on opportunities that may not come to fruition, we can call it a “no for now” and continue our path but what if you were to shift that power to wanting to hear a no from clients? I would put a value on the word no, so I knew for every no I received I was moving closer to a sale but actually that no then held power and fortune. Imagine understanding that the person who said no actually had a worth of money, say $100. You would be on the phone, speaking to more people and pushing your business like never before. This simple shift can lead to greater success, both in business and in life. Personal development is about finding those golden nuggets—sometimes it’s literally that one percent change I keep talking about.

Personal Development Beyond Business

As someone who is dyslexic, I don’t always enjoy reading, but personal development books have had a profound impact on my life. I don’t need to read a whole book in one sitting. Sometimes, I’ll open a page at random and find exactly what I need in that moment. I once read a chapter about our “blueprint” for success. It suggested that if you believe your worth is, say, a $30,000 salary, you will remain in jobs within that pay range. When I applied for a job many years ago, I decided to push my limits and ask for double the salary I initially had in mind—even though I was only applying for part-time hours.

As I sat in that interview, my heart was racing. I could feel the tension in my chest, unsure of how they would react. When the director smiled, I was certain they were going to laugh me out of the room. But instead, they listened. I walked out of that meeting with a strange mix of relief, excitement, and doubt. It felt audacious like I was stepping far outside my comfort zone, but I was determined to prove I was worth it. When I left this role, not only was I earning more than I had asked for, but I realized a powerful truth: we can shape our reality with the right mindset and a belief in our own value. Our subconscious really does work magic when it knows exactly what we want from life. Some might call it manifesting, but in reality, it’s having crystal clear goals that guide you toward where you want to be.

Personal development isn’t only about business—it’s influenced how I parent my children, manage my relationships, and pursue my wildest dreams.

The ripple effect of sharing these nuggets with friends and colleagues is incredibly rewarding. As my youngest is now in her teens, she often repeats things I’ve shared from my personal development journey, and I can’t help but beam with pride knowing she’s absorbing these lessons too.

The Impact of In-Person Events

There’s something uniquely powerful about attending in-person conferences, events, or retreats. Sometimes the impact of those experiences doesn’t hit you right away—it could be months, even years, before the lessons truly sink in. For me, one such moment happened seven years ago at an event. I took a screenshot of a note I’d written there, and looking back at it gave me goosebumps. That note eventually became the foundation for I Am More Academy, which has since empowered thousands of young people to build their confidence and believe in their potential.

Your 1% Shift

So, I challenge you to ask yourself: What one percent change could you make today? It might seem small, but I promise, those consistent, mindful choices will have a lasting, profound effect on your future. Please feel free to reach out and share your 1% commitment with me—I’d love to hear it.

This article originally appeared in the Autumn 2024 issue of CHOICES Magazine