The One Percent Factor

By Bob Davies

Research over the years has revealed the essential elements of human nature. It is clear humans are avoidance machines! We are genetically coded to avoid pain and seek comfort. Our brains are designed to recognize the highest level of perceived pain and then we are compelled both physiologically and psychologically to avoid that pain. 

There is a system of performance that taps into this behavioral coding and uses it to our advantage. That system is Behavioral contracting which means we answer the following questions;

1. What do I want? Why Bother? What am I building? How much is enough?

2. What do I need to do to have what I want?

3. What do I need to do this week to have what I want?

4. What will I do this week?

Next, put the actions identified in question four into the behavioral contract. The contract consists of specific declarations plus accountability. Accountability has two parts. The first is the check in. Did you do what you said you would do?

The second part is the enforceable consequence for non-performance. There must be a consequence your brain will hold as more painful than the pain associated with the activity you are committing to. For example, you commit to making 100 cold calls this week or you will take a one hundred dollar bill and burn it! Make a similar deal with going to the gym four times or you will wash your neighbors car. It is very likely that a consequence such as these will compel you to avoid having to burn the bill or wash the car. Remember, you are an avoidance machine, avoiding the highest level of perceived pain. How do you avoid the painful consequences? By doing what you said you would do!

If you apply this to one small activity over the next seven days you will see great things happening, great habits being developed and great results. One small action each week will add up. One small activity you otherwise would not have taken will make a world of difference by the end of the year. This is referred to as Law of Accumulation and Law of Cause and Effect.

British biologist Francis Crick and his American colleague James Watson laid the groundwork for modern molecular genetics when they determined the structure of DNA in 1953. While demonstrating how the strands of the double helix were put together, Watson and Crick also sought to learn how genetic information was coded into the DNA. Once this became the basis of the genetic transfer of information, the next item on the scientific agenda was the genetic code itself—the instructions that regulated the true “secret of life”. Watson and Crick had won their Nobel Prize in 1962 for discovering the structure of DNA.

In 2003, researchers at Wayne State University in Detroit again ignited the debate when they found that 99.4% of the most critical DNA sites are identical in human and chimp genes, prompting the lead researcher, Morris Goodman, to declare that chimps and humans should be brought together under the same umbrella genus, Homo. This means that there is only a less than one percent difference in the genetic make up of the two species for the genes targeted.

Scientists published the complete genome of the chimpanzee last August in the journal, Nature. They found a 1.2% difference in the coding compared to humans, or 98.8% identical for all genes. But there are significant differences.

This research certainly makes the case for a small difference having a magnificent result. Let’s look further at small differences leading to magnificent results;

1. At 211 degrees water is hot. At 212 degrees it boils. Boiling water produces steam and steam can power engines.

2. During the 2004 Summer Olympic Games, the margin of victory was;

a. Men’s 200 meter Freestyle (swimming) 1.42 seconds; Women’s 0.59.

b. Men’s 800 meter (running) 0.71 seconds; Women’s 800 meter 0.13.

3. The average major league baseball player has a batting average of .250. This is three hits for every twelve times at bat. The average salary is one million. Now contrast that with the super star. The super star hits .333. This is significantly higher than the average. It’s 83 points higher. The average super star salary is in the millions and Alex Rodriguez of the N.Y. Yankees made $24 million last year. However, it is only a small difference that is producing the significant result. The super star gets only one more hit every twelve times at bat. One more hit produces the significant result.

It’s the small changes and actions that produce the significant results. Hall of fame football coach Vince Lombardi said, “Inches make a champion”.

Thomas Edison, the American inventor who lived from 1847-1931 said, “Many of life’s failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

My challenge to you is to make one small commitment this week that you give your word you will accomplish by next week. Tell someone else. Give them a negative consequence that you will honor if you don’t do what you said you would do. Watch what happens as human nature compels you to avoid the consequence and complete the action.

Bob Davies, M.Ed. Psychology, B.S. Health, MCC Master Certified Coach is a freelance writer and founder of High Performance Training, Inc. For information call 949-830-9192, visit  www.BobDavies.com .

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