How many people do you know who do the bare minimum? They do just enough so that they don’t get fired.  Their homes aren’t elegant but are just livable.  And while their families are basically fed, they prepare meals without much effort or inspiration.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with doing just the bare minimum. If you do the bare minimum, you’ll be one of the many folks who muddle their way through life.  But you won’t excel.

To excel, you need to follow The Extra 10% Rule. You need to do 10% more than the bare minimum in every area of your life.  Just giving that small extra effort will put you on the path toward becoming a person of excellence.

There are so many ways that we can add 10% to our efforts. For instance, I don’t just clean my house once a week.  I believe in always leaving any room better than I found it.  So, if I see something out of place, I put it back where it belongs.  This small effort keeps my home looking tidy at all times.

I also believe in giving an extra 10% effort to my work. As a result, in all my jobs, I’ve always taken very short lunch breaks, or I’ve worked through lunch.  Now, of course, we all need breaks during the day to regain our mental energy.  But I’ve found that a 10 – 15 minute break does the trick for me.  Beyond that, I’ve given my break time back to my job.  This habit has allowed me to always stay on top of my workload.  Moreover, it has allowed me to do my work in a thoughtful and careful manner, so that I can offer my best work product to my employer.

Admittedly, implementing The Extra 10% Rule is time consuming. So, you have to be strategic with how you spend your spare time.  You won’t be able to give that extra effort if your free time is consumed with watching television or surfing the Internet.

I don’t happen to watch television, but I am embarrassed to say that I spend too much time looking at the news on the Internet. I am practically a current events expert, which is silly.  Knowing what is happening around the world at all times is pointless.  So that is a habit that I want to break.  We all have time consuming habits that we need to give up so that we can give our best to the tasks that matter.

The Extra 10% Rule is not just something that we should apply to just one area of our lives. This rule should be the approach that we take to everything that we do, from how we care for our homes, to how we parent, to how we work at our jobs.  The Extra 10% Rule, when done over time, will become a habit that changes who we are.

This week, think of the ways that you could apply The Extra 10% Rule to your life. Just making a small extra effort will make a big difference in your life.  People will take notice of you because you go above and beyond the call of duty.  As a result, you’ll be more likely to be promoted.  Your relationships will improve because your family and friends will feel more loved due to your extra efforts.  And your dreams will come to pass more quickly because of your consistent hard work.  Use The Extra 10% Rule, and make it your pathway to success.

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