Slight Edge

Have you ever heard of the Principle of the Slight Edge? I first encountered it over 30 years ago. Simply stated it says, “People who excel over the masses, do so only slightly.” A couple of illustrations may bring this into focus.

If you have ever watched Olympic events like running or downhill skiing, you know how they measure the difference between winners and losers. It is measured in thousandths of a second. We can’t conceive a unit of time like this but that is how they tell the difference. So when you ask yourself what the difference is between the winner and the rest of the crowd, the answer is “Not much.“

Or take baseball … when the average pitcher delivers a fastball to the average hitter, he has .2 seconds to decide whether or not to swing. If the decision is not made within that period of time, it is physically impossible to get the bat around quickly enough to hit the ball in fair territory. So what is the difference between a great hitter and a mediocre one? ? “Not much.“

People who excel over the masses, do so only slightly.

Most of us aim for mediocrity. Right becomes right based on what my friends are doing or what is generally acceptable in our culture. We have a minimalist approach to life in general and it is expressed in terms of what is right and wrong. We want to find the passmark and come in on the upside … just barely

Then there are those who upset the apple cart. A passmark experience in life may be acceptable but it is simply not good enough for a person who does not want to be defined by the masses. They make decisions in a totally different manner. Rather than life being about right and wrong, it is about what is best. It’s not about doing the right thing … it is about doing the best thing. While the idea of adopting a winning attitude may seem light years away from your current reality, the difference between the way you are living your life and the way you might, is only a slight one.

People who excel over the masses, do so only slightly.

It can be as simple as attending an AA meeting. You know that your current trajectory is self destructive. It is relationally toxic. It brings out the worst in you. But it’s okay because everyone else is doing it and it is socially and culturally acceptable. The masses are defining your life and you are a hairs breadth away from something better than you could ever imagine.

As long as you think in terms of wrong and right, nothing will change significantly. If you can begin to ask yourself what the best thing you can do is, you’ll come up with a totally different set of options. Let me encourage you today to do the small things that make the big difference.

People who excel over the masses, do so only slightly.