The 5% Rule

A Note Before We Begin

I used to blog when blogging was new and all the rage. It started as an attempt to share and catalog my life and business experiences, with the hope that others might learn from both my opportunities and my mistakes.

But somewhere along the way, it started to feel too egotistical. It felt like I was writing for the sake of writing. So I stopped for many years. I was recently encouraged to re-release some old posts. So I'm going to start releasing some past (and perhaps some new) writings, from time to time. What brings me back is a genuine desire for mutual success, not just for the people I work with, but for anyone navigating the realities of business and leadership. That intention is what the 5% Rule is really about.

The 5% Rule

Over three decades in business, I've distilled certain lessons down to digestible maxims, rules that have stood the test of time across industries, teams, and economic cycles. Today's is one I return to constantly. And I must admit that I still miss the mark. I still need to check myself and, from time to time, find that my output is not what it should be because I'm not adhering to the value of The 5% Rule.

The rule is not complicated. It's uncommon in practice, but nearly universal among truly high-performing people and companies. I believe it to be a lynchpin to real, lasting success, and it's something I look for in every person and organization I engage with.

Simply stated:

90% of success comes from 5% of the work.

Let's unpack what "success" means in this context. Success is hitting stretch goals. It's growing at 20% when your historical rate was 5%. It's walking into an almost impossible situation and turning it around completely.

And there's a version of success that's harder to quantify but perhaps most powerful: your customers are noticing that you are profoundly different, and even though they may not be able to fully articulate why, they know they must work with you.

That kind of differentiation comes from near-flawless execution. And near-flawless execution comes from one thing: the last five percent.

What the Last 5% Looks Like

• It's proofing for errors and testing before you ship. It's the detailed follow-up after a meeting. It's staying fully present when you're tired or distracted.
• It's spending the extra time to figure something out now instead of putting it off until tomorrow.
• It's getting home, having dinner, and then opening your laptop for a few minutes because something is still eating at you.
• It's never being fully satisfied with the status quo, always looking for a better way, always thirsting to grow, and actively engaging your curiosity.
• It's recognizing that high-growth environments can be demanding and choosing to go the extra mile anyway because you want to be part of something great.
• It's a relentless commitment to expanding your knowledge and becoming a sharper, more capable version of yourself.
• It's details, details, details. Think of the difference between a decent home contractor and a great one. The great contractor finishes every detail, every corner perfectly painted, every cabinet door perfectly fitted, every countertop perfectly level. That's what leaves a lasting impression.
• It's being so attuned to your clients and colleagues so that they feel genuinely valued and respected at every interaction. And it's having the courage to respectfully challenge the people around you when they aren't pushing through their last five percent. Eventually, you must cut ties with mediocrity. Good enough is the enemy, like dead weight dragging down an elite performer.
• It's where leadership and quality live. It's where the wheat separates from the chaff. It's self-awareness. It's genuinely connecting with someone very different from you.
• It's not defensive. It's proactive thinking, asking yourself, "What am I missing?" It's accepting critique with grace when you fall short and coming back stronger the next time.
• It's choosing to care about the people around you, clients, colleagues, partners, even when it's hard and they are unlikable.
• It's usually not black and white. It lives in the gray area where two parties can actually find a path to success together.

Why It Matters

Average people and average organizations can do the first 95% and get by. The effort is table stakes. It's the uncommon individual, and the uncommon company, that pushes through to the last five percent. That's where 90% of the real impact lives.

This isn't abstract philosophy. I've seen it play out across companies in every stage of growth. The teams and leaders who consistently operate in the last five percent are the ones customers remember, the ones who win deals they had no business winning, and the ones who build something durable.

Something to Think About

What is the last five percent for you? Can you identify it in your own work or in the teams and clients you interact with?

In your next meeting, challenge yourself to identify it. When you see it, in a colleague, a vendor, or a customer, call it out. Write it down. Recognize it publicly. Excellence deserves acknowledgment.

Always hope, never give up, encourage others, rise above, and achieve more than you thought was possible.