So there I was holding a live hand grenade. And I could NOT remember if it was “thumb clip, pull pin” or “pull pin, thumb clip”. I was 18-years old going through Marine Corps bootcamp and was frozen with fear. Somehow I managed to rip the safety pin out, and the only thing preventing the grenade from exploding and killing me and my fellow Marines was my clammy grip on it.
As a business transformation keynote speaker, I often share this story with audiences to illustrate the point that decisions in business and life are like that hand grenade: You’re either going to hold it, drop it, or throw it. In other words, you’re either going to make a good decision, bad decision, or no decision.
And Marine Corps leadership figured out that making great decisions depends not so much on the 99% of the things you are doing, but on the 1% of the things you are not doing.
You must discover the 1% of actions that are hidden in your blind spot. And once discovered, that 1% will give you the edge and the tactical advantage to allow you to accomplish more with less, make better decisions, and achieve a level of peak performance with balance — not burnout.
Having Marine Corps trainees throw live hand grenades is an example of finding that 1%. You develop laser focus and clarity. Most importantly, I learned trust. I learned that the Marine Corps trusted an 18-year-old kid to successfully throw live fragmentation grenades. I knew my Drill Instructors and fellow recruits trusted me. And I trusted them. And because that sacred trust was bestowed upon me, I would do anything, ANYTHING, for my fellow Marines. And I knew my fellow Marines would do anything for me.
In my case, sacred trust was that missing 1%. Identifying that 1% is the difference between success and failure when the pace is fast, the stakes are high, and the outcome unclear. Plus, it is just really, REALLY cool to throw live hand grenades…
So how do you find the 1% that is missing from your personal and professional life? How do you discover what is hidden in your blind spot — what you don’t know you don’t know? How can you consistently develop an edge to do more with less? I’ll explain all of that and much more. Just stay tuned. And do me a favor — stay away from throwing live hand grenades, ok?
One last thing. I did work up the nerve to throw that live hand grenade. No one was killed or injured either. More importantly, I developed that 1% difference with a razor sharp edge.
To learn more about discovering your missing 1% and how to make better decisions that lead to precision, peak performance, and motivation check out my nationwide bestselling book on the subject, The Mushin Way to Peak Performance: The Path to Productivity, Balance, and Success. And if you have any questions, leave a comment below or hit me up on Twitter @mpveltri. I’ll be sure to get back to you right away!