The power of the “slight edge”

Posted: January 6, 2016 | Categories: Sales, Self-Improvement

23 years ago a fellow team member and I were sitting in a lobby waiting to see a prospect.  My buddy Joe brings out a copy of Golf Digest to read.  This was the issue that listed the top PGA money winners of the past year.  Joe pointed out who was in first place:  It was Fred Couples.  He had made $1,344,188, participated in 22 events, and his average score per 18 holes was 69.38.  Then Joe showed me the stats for the person in 130th place.  His name was John Mahaffey, his total winnings were $101,512, he participated in 28 events, and his average score per 18 holes was 71.99.  Think about that!  The difference between the person in first place and 130th place was only  a difference of 2.61 strokes per 18 holes.  Does that sound unusual?  Not really.  A major league baseball player  whose career batting average is 300 will probably end up in the Hall of Fame if he plays a full career.  This is what champions call the slight edge.  It means that the person at the top and the person in 2nd are not that far apart.  Instead of thinking we need to be twice as good as our competition, often all we need to do is develop the slight edge.

Basketball great Michael Jordan made a habit of getting to practice a little earlier and staying a little later.  He knew the slight edge.  Jack Nicklaus holds the record for the number of PGA tournaments he has won.  Jack Nicklaus also practiced by hitting 1000 golf balls a day.

Whatever endeavor we are in, there are specific tasks and activities that make us succeed.  If you are in sales, you may generate 2 more appointments per week than anyone else in the office.  If you manage, you may read just 30 minutes more about your field than anyone else.  Whatever you are doing that is working, begin by doing just a little more, and stick with it.  You too can develop the “slight edge”.

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