There are two ways to look at the last 10 percent of anything.
The first way is to look backwards at the 90 percent you’ve already accomplished and question whether you can afford to risk all that in the pursuit of just a little bit more.
The second way is to look forward at what lies beyond that last 10 percent – accomplishing something truly remarkable – and question whether you can afford to not pursue it.
Both ways are “right.” It’s perfectly reasonable, for example, to do a risk assessment and conclude that wagering $90 to win $10 is a bad idea. The perfect, after all, is the enemy of the good enough.
On the other hand, it’s far more inspiring to conclude that staying at 90 percent is a slow road to stagnation and that chasing the last 10 percent is the only road to immortality. The good, after all, often distracts us from the great.
I wrote this post because I want us to be honest with ourselves.
As humans, we pride ourselves on being complexed, nuanced beings, capable of believing in both the run-of-the-mill security of the first 90% and the remarkable thrill of the last 10.
But when you’re forced to make a choice, what will you do? After you’ve shipped the first 90%, does your heart tell you to sprint for the 100% finish line, or to work on protecting what you already have?
I’m a sprinter. I can’t be happy sitting at 90%. You might be different, and that’s okay – but this blog, this story I’m telling, might not be for you.
Bottom line: chasing after the last 10 percent is like releasing the bird in your hand to reach for two in the bush. It’s almost always an unreasonable task.
But that’s exactly why doing it makes you remarkable.
5 Comments on “Chasing the Last 10 Percent”
says:
I was thinking about this with regards to being a specialist (reaching for that last 10% and more) and being a generalist (being satisfied with the 90% and moving on).
In both cases, I think what is achieved can be considered remarkable. As a specialist, you can be remarkable by reaching for and achieving that last 10%. As a generalist, you can be remarkable for achieving 90% of so many different things.
Like you said, it all depends on the person. I think the important message here is to put 110% effort into whatever it is you’re doing and not worry so much about measuring your success against the number of birds the guy next to you is holding.
says:
I honestly believe that it’s more difficult – though not impossible – to become remarkable as a generalist. But that’s just my opinion :)
In a way, being a remarkable generalist is also about reaching that last 10%, except your last 10% is about mastering a few more skills or subjects or languages. But it’s still that last 10% that separates you from all the other generalists out there, I think.
And yes, it completely depends on the person. I don’t think either option is less worthy of respect; I just lean more toward one option in my own life.
says:
I agree with both points. :) I think it’s just a matter of semantics.
In both cases, reaching higher, working harder, and putting in more effort than is the norm makes you remarkable. It’s a matter mixing an unusually high amount of commitment, dedication, and determination.
says:
Hi Jeffrey,
Good story. I think the rule that applies here is the law of diminishing returns. It’s way more easy to achieve the first 90% than absolute mastery and perfection. You could say that 90% of your time is going to be in the last 10%.
10.000 hours anybody?
Thanks!
says:
I think you know my side on this one – to get paid, you have to be approach 100% in something. However, as we pull towards that 100%, there is still plenty of room to diversify into 90 in several areas – to truly succeed, we must do this.