80% through the curve before takeoff
In any compounding process, you are 80% through the curve before results truly accelerate — all the greatest returns are delayed.
Snapshot · The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
Discipline Expert: The Habit That Will Make Or Break Your Entire 2026! James Clear
Explore episode
Dec 11, 2025
Where this was said
Why Getting 1% Better Every Day Works
At 1:08:40 · chapter starts 1:07:17
1.01^365 = 37x better in a year. 80% of the gains are delayed — most people quit right before the breakthrough. Focus on trajectory, not position. Time magnifies whatever you feed it. [1] — James Clear "Getting 1% better daily compounds to 37 times better in a year. But 80% of the gains come in the final stretch — which means most people qu…" 1:07:17
1% better daily = 37x better in a year
Getting 1% better every day compounds to 37 times better over the course of a year (1.01^365 ≈ 37), while getting 1% worse drives results almost to zero.
1% Better Every Day: The Compounding Curve Explained
Getting 1% better daily compounds to 37 times better in a year. But 80% of the gains come in the final stretch — which means most people quit right before the breakthrough. Focus on trajectory, not position.
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