Maybe you've heard of the 1% principle.
I'm a big believer in it.
Here's the math...
Getting 1% better every day = 37x better in a year.
Here's the problem:
Most pastors are stuck between "that's a great idea" and "what do I actually DO on Tuesday?"
(Same feeling we get after attending a conference.)
Knowing doesn't equal doing.
Quick Recap
I learned the 1% practice in practicality this way:
Since I'm an itinerant conference Bible teacher, I often teach and preach the same messages multiple times.
(Shocker, I know.)
Every time I deliver a sermon or teaching, my goal:
make it 1% better.
Over time, it goes from "that was decent" to
"I'd pay money to preach that again" to
"they actually might pay money for me to preach that again."
(Unlikely, but still.)
Small improvements compound.
And it works in reverse too.
Get 1% worse every day and you're going down faster than attendance after you moved the service time.
So Where Do You Apply This?
Here are 7 areas of pastoral life where one small tweak will stack up.
The strategy?
Pick ONE per week.
Do it for 30 days.
Then pick another.
Don't do all seven at once.
(You're a pastor, not a Navy SEAL.)
1. SERMON PREP: Capture Fresh Insights
The 1% Move: Write down one fresh observation about your sermon text each day (Tuesday–Friday).
Why It Works: Depth is rarely dramatic. It’s cumulative.
Four small insights across the week often produce a clearer, richer message than one frantic Saturday breakthrough.
What It Looks Like:
- Re-read a section of the text.
- Ask: What does this reveal about God? About people?
- Write one sentence.
Four sentences by Friday = sharper clarity.
2. LEADERSHIP: The One-Win Question
The 1% Move: Ask "What's one win from this week?" in every leadership conversation.
Why It Works: You're training your team to look for momentum instead of problems.
Most church meetings sound like hostage negotiations...
"The copier's broken." "Attendance is down." "Deacon Steve has parking lot opinions."
Start with one win.
What It Looks Like:
Before the agenda, ask it. "What's one win from this week?"
Could be small.
Two visitors.
Youth showed up on time.
Nobody complained about the coffee.
Celebrate it.
Move on.
You just set a tone of momentum instead of crisis management.
3. COUNSELING: The Single-Thread Focus
The 1% Move: Identify one primary issue instead of chasing every detail.
Why It Works: Counseling sessions derail when everything becomes urgent.
Clarity requires narrowing.
What It Looks Like:
- Ask: “If we could make progress on one thing today, what should it be?”
- Write that down.
- Return to it when the conversation drifts.
One thread pulled steadily is better than ten tugged weakly.
4. PERSONAL DISCIPLINES: The Pre-Phone Walk
The 1% Move: Take a 5-minute walk (or 5 minutes of stretching) before checking your phone in the morning.
Why It Works: You're starting the day instead of reacting to it.
Most pastors grab the phone immediately.
Sister Margaret emailed about the thermostat at 6:47 AM.
The worship leader texted.
Someone posted something passive-aggressive in the church Facebook group.
Congratulations.
You just slam-dunked your morning through the chaos hoop.
(Nuthin' but net.)
What It Looks Like: Wake up. Don't touch the phone. Walk around the block. Five minutes.
Pray.
Think.
Breathe.
Then check your phone.
You'll handle the chaos better because you're grounded first.
5. COMMUNICATION: The One-Step Email
The 1% Move: End every email with one clear next step.
Why It Works: You're eliminating confusion and endless follow-ups.
Most pastoral emails: "Hey, let's connect about the men's retreat. Let me know your thoughts."
Cool...
What are we deciding?
When?
Who's doing what?
Nobody knows.
Four more emails incoming.
What It Looks Like:
End with clarity: "Next step: Lock in a date by Friday. I'll send three options tomorrow."
One sentence.
One action.
One person responsible.
You just cut your email volume in half.
6. PHYSICAL HEALTH: The Protein-First Meal
The 1% Move: Eat one protein-first meal per day.
Why It Works: You're stabilizing energy instead of riding the carb rollercoaster.
Most pastors eat like college students.
Donuts at staff meeting.
Leftover pizza.
Three coffees and a granola bar from the glove compartment.
Then they crash at 2 PM and nap on the sofa in the student ministry sanctuary.
(Yes, we know.)
What It Looks Like:
One meal.
Start with protein.
Eggs. Chicken. Fish. Greek yogurt.
Lead with 20-30 grams before the carbs.
You'll notice the difference in energy, focus...
and not snapping at people by 3 PM.
Also... the marshmallow salad is still not a vegetable.
7. RELATIONAL MARGIN: The Outside-the-Bubble Conversation
The 1% Move: Have one 10-minute conversation per week with someone outside your church bubble.
Why It Works: You're staying connected to the world you're trying to reach.
Most pastors live in a church echo chamber.
Staff, deacons, small group leaders.
Which is fine until you realize you have no idea how normal people think, talk, or live.
What It Looks Like:
Talk to your barista.
The guy at the gym.
The neighbor mowing his lawn.
Your barber.
Just as a human having a normal conversation.
Ask questions.
Listen.
You'll preach better.
Lead better.
And you'll better avoid sounding like you've been living in a seminary library for 20 years.
Here's the Strategy
Pick ONE.
Do it for 30 days.
Pick another one next Monday.
Yep, 30 days on that, too.
That's it.
One small tweak.
One month.
By year's end, you've stacked seven habits that are making you exponentially better.
Not because you overhauled your life.
Because you made small moves consistently.
Five Years From Now
You'll be a different pastor.
Question is: different how?
Sharper or duller?
Healthier or burned out?
More connected or isolated?
That answer starts today.
With one small move.
One percent better.
Small beats zero.
Every. Single. Time.
Now go be 1% better than you were yesterday.
And if Sister Margaret emails about the thermostat before 7 AM tomorrow...
At least be able to say you took the walk first.
More Resources To Help You Optimize
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