85%

Jo, Our Head of Copy, discovered an unexpected fact about high performers and was inspired to write an enlightening piece about it. It’s below and a surprising read. See what you think.

Why try too hard when 85% effort is just as good as 100?
Pitching yourself short of perfection is the way forward…

It never held Carl Lewis back.

Carl Lewis is a 9-time Olympic gold medallist.
A master finisher, despite being one of the slowest starters.
He never performed at full gas.
He nearly always won.
By functioning at just 85%.
One of the world’s greatest athletes.
Not a man who under-achieved.

Why 85%?
Your best performances don’t happen when trying your absolute hardest.
They flow naturally when you’re naturally enjoying yourself.
When the whole process feels effortless, almost easy.

Living life at 85% is a mindset.
It gives you permission to relax and perform at a high level at your sweet spot.
It’s about pacing and going the distance.
So you finish what you started on a high.
Because at 85% you can win without excessively striving or straining.
Not pushing yourself to the very limits of your ability.
You have room to think, focus, adapt.

The 85% rule can help you thrive at work.
Balancing intensity and focus with a relaxed state of mind.
The time and space to come up with your best ideas.
With 15% less pressure.

In a nutshell…
Your perception of energy is the biggest component to your productivity.
Only expend 85% of your mental energy on any given task from here on.
It works, genuinely – give it a try.
If you keep giving 100%, you can’t keep going at that pace.
Or give a little bit extra when it’s genuinely needed.