The 85% Rule 🏃♀️
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Give it 110%!
I heard that all throughout my [earlier] athletic career, and the philosophy makes sense. Leave nothing on the field. Make sure you've given everything you've got.
And yet, the times I've really pressured myself to perform are when I disappointingly under-delivered. My greatest athletic achievements happened when I was relaxed, having fun, and the pressure was off. How can that be?
How can we apply this paradox to our creative endeavors?
Let's talk about the 85% rule.
TL;DR
Shoot for working at 85% capacity, and watch your productivity soar.
To coin a phrase
I first heard about the 85% rule in Tim Ferris's interview with Hugh Jackman. Here's how Jackman describes its origin.
Carl Lewis dominated world rankings in the 100m, 200m, and long jump events throughout the 80s and early 90s. As he emerged on the track and field scene, a sprint coach noticed how at 40m, Lewis was routinely in last place, and yet he would inevitably win every race by 10 yards. The popular approach at that time was to go as hard as possible off the block, get out front at 40m, and have the best chance to win the race. Lewis was doing the complete opposite.
This sprint coach studied this paradoxical phenomenon, and when looking at the head-on camera angle, noticed how Lewis's breathing and form at the 60m mark were identical to his breathing and form at the 25m mark. He never appeared to be overly exerting any effort. He was as relaxed at the start as he was at the finish, whereas the other sprinters were clearly tensed and struggling.
The coach termed Lewis's technique as the 85% rule. By intentionally performing at close to maximum output, athletes actually end up excelling to their full potential. Staying relaxed boots athletic output.
Applying the 85% rule to making
When we are setting out to build something important to us, there's an instinctive impulse to ensure we are delivering the absolute best effort towards the project. This can put an unnecessary amount of pressure on ourselves, leading to decision paralysis, imposter syndrome, and just overall repression of productivity.
Are you drawing in your sketchbook, but anticipating delivering Instagram-worthy masterpieces? That's not fun. Use the 85% rule, relax, and work at your own pace. That's when your best ideas appear on paper.
Writing a book? Don't worry about producing publisher-worthy chapters for each session. Relax, let your mind do its work, and know that you can always revisit and edit things later. You'll find you write more in less time.
Are you coding an app for your side project? Don't worry about using the latest and greatest tech. Relax, use what you know, and enjoy getting in the zone. Have fun with it.
Take the pressure off
Following the 85% rule should take the pressure off delivering at maximum capacity every time you set out to do something. And you'll likely find that you're operating at 110% when you're relaxed.
Keep making, and thanks for reading! 🙌
Hit reply to tell me what you're making. I'm looking for anyone interested in talking about their own side-projects and maker journey, so speak up if you'd like to appear in Serial Maker. I'd also love to know what you thought of this issue, and what you want to hear about in the future. And don't forget to continue the conversation on Discord!
Until next week,
Craig