The number one rule for growth

Is there a secret formula to achieve growth? Do you just go out there and run like crazy? Do you have an easy path to bring success home?

When we look at those who's made it, we think they are so good and as a result it's normal to see they are successful at what they are doing.

The truth is most people were quite bad at what they seem to be doing best now. They had struggles and they found a way to fix it.

Solving a problem is often not that simple. Solution might be there but without the right execution it becomes painful to work on. Thankfully there are strategies that when applied and applied number of times, they help us make execution easier and doable.

Growth comes from turning up and doing it. It's simple maths. Now when anybody uses the words ''simple'' and ''maths'' in the same sentence... Okay, I will make an attempt to justify my thinking...

Are you bad at push-ups?

Well, try to do at least one a day. Just one. Then continue doing it every day for 30 days. After a week or two, you will have the capacity to be able to do at least 2 push-ups in one go.

(Please note, starting to do just one is not difficult either. Cheat. Don't do a full push-up. Be on your knees. Get someone to take 1/3 of your body weight holding you when trying your first etc)

Are you bad at playing counter-strike?

Try to practice one move over and over for 30 minutes. Just one move. It could be ducking and shooting for instance. Just focus on one thing and do it over and over. Don't focus on winning the game. Focus on whether you can duck quicker and shoot quicker than the move you've made before.

Are you bad at cooking?

Split your dish you are cooking into two pans. Add salt before to one pan and after to the other pan. Could you notice a difference in taste? Try marinating your chicken 24 hours before cooking for one dish. Then next time you cook chicken don't marinate at all. Compare the two.

Do you notice any difference? Are you getting a little geekier about cooking by just doing it and focusing on learning?

The Answer

If you haven't guessed yet, the golden rule aka Number One Rule for Growth, is, show up and do it.

If you show up every day and do it, in simple maths you will be 7 times better in a week vs someone who's done it only once (yes, using a logarithmic scale would've been better but hey, I said simple maths).

I loved this interview of Kobe Bryant by Lewis Howes. During the interview, Kobe talks about his childhood where he played entire summer and never scored. I mean if this is not any shocking to you to hear, I don't know what would be.

Kobe explains his problem. He then proceeds to explaining what he's done to overcome. Put it simply;

Show up every single day, do the work. / Kobe Bryant

In a nutshell, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant both have done the exact same thing. They both showed up every day and committed to it. Growth comes from commitment.

There is a strategy in getting better and achieving the growth you desire. It's important not to miss Kobe's strategy.

Kobe's problem

Kobe worked on where he was failing. He played the game. He was athletic yet wasn't scoring a single point. Not even one. Right, so he had to learn how to score.

There are so many ways to score playing basketball. I also played basketball for many years and trained 4 hours a day everyday during my secondary & high school ages. However, like many others I was not going to be a pro so I had to quit at some point. I can relate to exactly what Kobe is saying in this video.

Starting simple

Kobe picked one move and made sure he got it right. He had to get better and reach a level where he can trust his move to score. He did it by committing to training every day. Most others would not train more than a few hours a week. Kobe went ahead of competition by allocating a few hours each day. His commitment accumulated into an ever growing and impossible to catch training time. He dominated the game as a result. He achieved unbelievable growth.

It's not magic, it's commitment.

Succeeding by showing up everyday

A decent strategy coupled with showing up every day and doing it delivers ultimate growth. That's the recipe for success. Follow the number one rule and execute it with a plan in your head.