3. One Percent Improvements, Big Results

Please check out my other podcast, "Walking with the Savior," for daily inspiration on your walk with the Savior. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2414656/episodes/19150246

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Transcript

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Welcome to the LDS Seminary Teacher Helper. I'm John Merrill Kirkman, and I wanna share with you a simple principle that has transformed my teaching, and that is the 1% principle. What can I do to make this 1% better? I personally have seen monumental growth in my teaching in the last five years because of this principle. A few years ago, the British cycling team was considered one of the weakest cycling programs in the world. For over one hundred years, they had almost no success in the Tour de France. In fact, they were so unsuccessful that one major bike company refused to sell them bikes because they were worried it would hurt their brand. Then a coach named Dave Brailsford came in with a completely different philosophy. He believed in what he called the aggregation of marginal gains. His idea was simple: If you improve every area by just one percent, those small improvements compound into extraordinary results. So they looked at everything. They adjusted the bike seats to improve comfort by one percent. They tested different message... they tested different massage gels for recovery by one percent. They studied the best pillows and mattresses for sleep by one percent. They even taught riders the best way to wash their hands so they wouldn't get sick during training. None of those things seemed revolutionary, but together they changed everything. Within a few years, the British cycling team dominated the Olympics and won multiple Tour de Frances. I think there's a powerful lesson there for seminary teachers. Sometimes we think,"I need a complete overhaul," or,"I need to become an entirely different teacher." But discipleship and teaching growth often happens through small, consistent improvements. What if this week we simply ask the question: What could I do to make connections with the students one percent better? What could I do to help students feel the Savior one percent more deeply? What could I do to improve my invitations one percent? What could I do to make scripture study one percent more engaging? What could I do to improve this activity or discussion one percent better? What could I do to a prayer testimony of Christ one percent more clearly and powerfully? Maybe it's learning one student's interest. Maybe it's asking one better question. Maybe it's pausing a little longer after a spiritual thought. Maybe it's smiling more at the door. Maybe it's sharing one more personal witness of Jesus Christ. Small improvements may not seem dramatic in a single class period, but over weeks, months, and years, those small refinements compound spiritually. And the beautiful thing is that the Lord works this way too. He doesn't usually perfect us instantly. He helps us grow line upon line, precept upon precept. As a seminary teacher, we don't... As seminary teachers, we don't have to become perfect. We simply need to keep asking,"What's one small way I can become a little more like the master teacher today? What's one way I can improve X, Y, and Z in my class?" And when you do an activity and it doesn't go well, ask yourself,"What can I do to make this activity work 1% better next time?" Don't expect perfection, especially at the beginning. It's gonna be hard, it's gonna be difficult, and it's gonna be a grind. But if you're constantly asking the question,"What can I do to get one percent better?" Or better yet,"What's one thing I can do to get one percent better at this specific thing or this specific activity?" That will lead you to monumental growth because when small improvements are guided by the Spirit and centered on Jesus Christ, heaven can do remarkable things with them. Remember, you're awesome.