A thousand percent better

Back in the early nineties I was selling real estate. When our office listed a house for sale we would provide a small lock box for the house keys that would hang on the front door. The broker/owner I worked for bought little plastic nameplates with our company logo on them for each of these boxes. I have never forgotten his explanation “although it may be silly to spend money to advertise primarily just to other Realtors (our competition). It’s the little things we do that can add up to success. It’s hard for us to improve anything we do by 1000% but it is quite easy to improve a 1000 things just 1% better.”

What would happen if we applied this strategy into our own lives? How about next time you go to work instead of mumbling “mornin” you look them in the eye smile and say “Good Morning Bill” this small improvement won’t revolutionize our world by itself, but it might get us 1% closer. Find another ten little things you can change this week and keep it up until it becomes natural. Then find another ten and incorporate those. Do you know that it’s possible for a clerk to go all day without a sincere “how are you doing today”? Next time you are checking out at the grocery store go out of your way to be nice. Calling someone by their own name is a percent better.

A several years ago I was at the grocery store pharmacy late at night, I was tired and ready to be home. Unfortunately there were another six or seven people in line before me and we were all getting kinda grumpy. As I sat there waiting for my prescription, I started to watch people as they shopped. Soon I was searching for someone who looked like they were happy to be there. Not a chance. This store was filled with tired, beaten down, grumpy people and I was one of them. I don’t know how many of these people were Christians, but wouldn’t it be great if you could tell by just looking at them. Shouldn’t we be different? Aren’t we to shine the Light? If we aren’t going to be friendly and polite then who should be? Even when we are tiered, or we’ve had a bad day. Especially when we’ve had a bad day. Don’t put on a mask and fake it, but choose to do so.

Little things added together and then multiplied over and over again by others can make a difference. Differences we can’t measure or document but significant just the same.

How will you start? You can never end because it can always be done at least 1% better.