What Percent of Your Day’s Percentage Are You Giving?

Cal State Fullerton’s Dr. Ken Ravizza is a trailblazer in the world of sports psychology. One of the key concepts he taught his athletes was the importance of giving 100% of what we’ve got, regardless of the circumstances.

Ravizza knew that none of us are going to feel at our peak every day, but that it’s crucial to maintain a competitive mindset every day, regardless of how we feel. Take, for instance, one of his baseball batters who is in a mental funk that day and low on energy.

“Give 100% of whatever you have to win the next pitch.”

The challenge is that regardless of how much you have that day – 1% to 100% – to give it all to the next moment. If you’re feeling great, lock in and give 100% of your focus and energy to the next pitch. If you’re feeling terrible and only at 45%, give all of that 45% to the next pitch.

Because it’s not what most people do.

They let how they feel determine what effort they give in that moment. It’s not about just having 60% of their energy that day – instead of giving all 60% of it, they go through the motions and show up with 20%.

No one is going to feel their 100% peak every day, but can you be counted on to still channel everything you’ve got during those ‘off-days’? Some days, you’re going to missing the physical energy. I have days where I’ll go to the gym and the same weight will feel twice as heavy as it did just the other day. My workout goes from being enjoyable to a grind.

Other days it’s a complete mental battle. I wake up with my brain in a complete fog or it’s one of those mornings where my ADHD is running in overdrive and I have the hardest time even getting a complete sentence onto paper.

Some days you wake up and know you’ve got your A-game – and others you realize as you’re brushing your teeth that today is going to be a battle with far less than your 100%.

Anyone can give their best efforts when everything is going their way and they ‘feel it,’ but what about those other days? You know, the majority of our days in life.

On each of those days, what percent of your day’s percentage are you giving?

It’s crucial to max out the efforts we give every day, and here are actionable steps to ensure that even on the days when motivation fails you, your commitment to competing with yesterday’s best doesn’t:

Embrace the Unpredictable Variables

Life throws curveballs, and we don’t often control how we feel each morning. Recognize that physical and mental fluctuations are normal and the key is acknowledging that our feelings are many times outside of our control – but the choices we make in response to those feelings is 100% in our control. Commit to giving your best regardless of your current state puts you in a position to be consistent in your progress.

Define Your Wins for the Day

Define what “giving 100%” means in the context of your current situation. I know that days I’m absolutely smoked, I most likely won’t hit the same max weights I would on a day I’m “feeling it,” but I still set the goal of did I give my best in the workout or was I guilty of going through the motions. Whether it’s 25%, 55%, or 90% of your optimal performance, commit to delivering your best in that specific moment.

Understand That Effort a Choice

Train your mind to understand that effort is within your control. No matter what is going on in your life, you will always have the power of control over your actions, attitude, focus, and effort. When faced with adversity, ask yourself: “How can I give everything I’ve got right now?”

Cultivate the habit of choosing effort over excuses, making it a conscious decision rather than a reaction to external factors.

Push Through Discomfort

When the weights feel heavier or your mind is in a fog, challenge yourself to push beyond the discomfort. Working hard isn’t a feeling, it’s a choice, and it’s often times we find the motivating feeling after grinding through the discomfort we desperately seek to avoid.

Winners understand that success is often forged in adversity. Whether it’s the gym, a work presentation, or any other aspect of life, giving 100% of what you’ve got on tough days builds your resilience and character.

Identify Opportunities for Improvement

Actively seek opportunities to enhance your effort. Reflect on moments when you could have given more and use them as learning experiences. Continuous improvement in your ability to give your best effort, regardless of circumstances, is a key trait of winners.

Win Your Next One

Winning the day is about winning each moment. Author Gretchen Rubin shared her “Four Quarters Method” for better winning each moment. She writes,

“Instead of feeling that you’ve blown the day and thinking, “I’ll get back on track tomorrow,” try thinking of each day as a set of four quarters: morning, midday, afternoon, evening. If you blow one quarter, you get back on track for the next quarter. Fail small, not big.”

Focus on winning each quarter and giving 100% of whatever your energy is at that moment to the present moment instead of worrying about the other three quarters.  Be where your feet are since it is the only moment you have full control of at this time.

Whether you’re facing a challenging workout or a demanding work task, channel your energy into excelling in the immediate task at hand.

Consistency Beats Intensity

Winners aren’t defined by occasional bursts of excellence but by consistent effort. It’s not about one hardcore 3-hour workout once a month but the small 20-minute ones you do every day. It’s not about giving one great keynote speech once a year, but delivering that same experience every month for years.

Train yourself to approach each day with the mindset that regardless of external factors, you will give 100% effort. Over time, this consistency will create the competitive advantage that sets you apart from the majority of people who go for the intense one BIG moment instead of the more consistent small ones.

On days when your A-game feels distant, focus on how you can implement each of these strategies to ensure you’re still operating at your highest capacity. It’s not about being perfect every day but about giving perfect effort every day regardless of how we feel.

Anyone can work hard when they feel good, but will you be a leader who gives their best effort even when you feel less than your best?