Last week, as we were preparing orders for shipping, I noticed that one of my books was going to a town called Effort, Pennsylvania. What a great place, I thought! I wondered does it take extraordinary effort to get there? Live there? Or are the people of Effort were “extra milers”?
Thinking about Effort called to mind a very powerful principle that I have tried to consider often in my daily life. It is the power of simple, small extra effort. Author, S.L. Parker in his book, 212-The Extra Degree (great resources, google him!) he encourages all to be Two-Twelve®*. Let me explain. At 211 degrees water is hot…at 212 degrees, it boils. And with boiling water comes steam, and with steam you can power a train! Hmm one degree! Similarly, there are many, many stores of accomplishments, wins, successes that hinge on just a small about of extra effort. For instance:
In professional golf, there are 4 major tournaments each year. The average margin of victory was less than one stroke a day! Yet, the first place winners took home 77% more than the 2nd place participants.
In racing, the Daytona 500, the average margin of victory was .175 seconds! First place, $1,354,368. Second place – over a half million dollars less.
Many Olympic event winners are chosen by a measure of time or distance. The difference between the “Gold” and no medal at all is minuscule! For instance: The Women’s 100 Meter Speed Skating – .07 seconds!
I remember learning to water ski. Holding on for one more split second makes all the difference in a fun time skiing, or a discouraging crash. Think of how your life might improve if you gave just a little, tiny bit more effort.
- If you were to eliminate 30 minutes of TV watching or online browsing each day, you would have an extra 182.5 hours each year to accomplish something. That’s like four and a half weeks at work!
- What impact would it have on your health and your weight if you were to exercise 10 more minutes each time or add one more day each week?
- What if you were to pay just one mortgage payment extra each year? Do you know that it would cut a 30 year mortgage down to 22 years!
With all of this in mind I am recommitting to care a little more, give a little more, Stay focused on the little things that can make such a big difference. Join me?
Oh, and by the way, according to tradition, the community of Effort was named for the considerable “effort” it took townspeople to agree on a name for the place.