The 100 Percent Rule That Makes Life a Lot Easier: Why Holding onto Your Principles is Key to Building Confidence and Success

The 100 Percent Rule That Makes Life a Lot Easier: Why Holding onto Your Principles is Key to Building Confidence and Success

In life, we often find ourselves faced with difficult decisions. These decisions can be influenced by external pressures, societal expectations, and the fear of failure. However, there is a rule that can make these decisions easier and help us build confidence in ourselves and our choices. It's called the 100 percent rule.

The 100 percent rule, popularized by Clayton Christensen, states that it's easier to hold your principles 100 percent of the time than it is to hold them 98 percent of the time. This means that rather than wavering in our commitments and decisions, we should fully commit to them without hesitation.

But why is it so important to adhere to the 100 percent rule? Well, situations often have more power over us than our internal desires. When we repeatedly fail to fully commit to our decisions, it can create problems in our confidence and identity. We start to doubt ourselves and our abilities, leading to a lack of motivation and commitment.

Robert Brault once said, "We are kept from our goal not by obstacles but by a clear path to a lesser goal." This quote perfectly encapsulates the idea that motivation requires simplicity. When we overcomplicate things and allow ourselves to be swayed by external factors, we lose sight of our true goals and aspirations.

To overcome this, we can ask ourselves a simple question: "How would my future self want to remember this?" By considering the perspective of our future selves, we can make decisions that align with our long-term goals and values. This technique allows us to step outside of our current desires and see the bigger picture.

Now, let's shift gears and explore how the 100 percent rule can be applied in a corporate context. In his article, "Why did I leave Google or, why did I stay so long?", the author reflects on their experience at Waze, a company acquired by Google. They discuss how being promoted often has a greater impact on individual economic success than the growth of the product itself.

This focus on promotions can lead to a shift in mindset, where employees see their role in the company as a stepping stone rather than a true calling. The famous Netflix culture doc states that culture is defined by who you hire, fire, or let go. This rings true, as the wrong hires can hinder a company's growth and success.

The author also highlights the challenges of working within a corporation. As a company becomes part of a larger entity, the signal to noise ratio changes dramatically. More time is dedicated to non-user value creation tasks, shifting the focus from the customer to corporate guidelines.