You can do it. Just start small. You can pick out one thing in your life and do just a little bit to make it better. We can all do it. Yes We Can! (That phrase still rankles.)

The need for change is on all of our minds, now more than ever. But here’s the thing. 100% change, a complete 180 degree turn, is an overwhelming, debilitating concept to even begin to conceive. But if we approach it in small bites, dare I say 10% bites, we will come to say and believe: I can do that. And that ripples out to make broad-based change before you know it. Tah-dah.

Your Family

10% does not necessarily have to be in done in terms of time. Cause who needs ten more minutes of nonsense? It can be in terms of nice (you can be 10% nicer, can’t you?) You’ll be surprised how far thank you, excuse me, and you’re welcome, tossed in here and there, can go. You can turn off the ballgame or Sex in the City reruns or even watch together without the snide comments one outta ten times. You could call your dad, wrestle with your kids, help your nephew with whatever he has been asking about for weeks (you see where I’m going here). Try it out and get back to me with what you did and how well it worked at icandothat@be10percentbetter.com

Your Work

I know the workplace is tricky now-a-days. A lot of us are already doing much more and there you go. So, what if I complained to everybody 10% less of the time about the above duly noted situation and encouraged others to do the same. Turn that water cooler buzz into bliss instead of hiss. Become the go-to guy or gal that wished you had coming up in the ranks. Did you feel that? That was a kumbaya moment. Point is: imagine how much cooler your gig could be if everyone added a 10% karma boost.

Your Commute

Ridiculously simple: leave for work 10% earlier so you don’t have to rush. That’s just 3 minutes for a 30-minute commute! On the way, be 10% more courteous. Let the guy at the stoplight turn left in front of you. Let the lady with the blinker on for blocks merge into your lane, no problem. You are not running late. And what if that lady turns out to be Catherine Zeta-Jones and say she tosses you a little thank-you wave then zips into the Dunkin Donuts you follow her and what if then she offers you a T-Mobile makeover for being so nice and because you’re such a big, strong handsome guy and what ifffff . . . okay that was a reach even for me…but the better ride to work is possible.

Your Community

OK, we all complain about this one and how it is different from when we were kids. Blah blah blah. You don’t have to give 10% of your time or money to anything. But you could do 10% more than you’re doing right now (unless you’re doing nothing because 10% of nothing is still nothing so please get off your @#$ and do something; anything!) Community organizations and schools at all levels are starving for your help and involvement. You are probably not more than 10 minutes away from an organization that needs your help. Walk there briskly and you are on your way to another 10% boost for you. So look a two-fer. One for you and one for the community.

Your Business

Here would be a good spot for my ‘win one for the gipper’ speech. But I never saw that movie. So let’s skip that. I say ‘win one for you’. The 10% principle applies to your business, and the good news is that it doesn’t have to hurt your bottom line. In fact, doing some things better could even enhance the profitability of your business. It could lead to great PR. Maybe you and your business will set a trend, and you will become one of the titans of industry, featured on MSNBC, Entrepreneur or Inc magazines or even get to present your idea to Shark Tank. Or just happily lead a wonderful George Bailey kind of life.

Your World

How could you possibly make the world 10% better? By focusing on your place in it. Face it; you could use 10% less disposable plastics, drive 10% slower to save fuel, be 10% better about saving water around your house or business. You could be 10% more attentive to what is going on any corner of the world where people are hurting and nobody seems to care. You could even speak up about it and maybe be that little difference that sparks a bigger difference; because I believe, that little droplet rippling out. Man-oh-man-oh, who knows?