One Percent Better Every Day

Michael Phelps almost quit swimming when he was twelve years old. His coach caught

him crying in the locker room after a brutal practice. Most people only see the twenty-three

gold medals, but they miss the decade of waking up at five every morning,

training on Christmas and birthdays while friends were celebrating. They miss the part where he struggled

with depression after his first Olympics, questioning if all the sacrifice was

worth it. Here's what changed everything for him. He stopped chasing perfection and started

chasing progress. Every single day, he committed to being one percent better than yesterday.

Not ten percent, not fifty percent, just one tiny improvement. Those small gains compounded over