The 70% Rule

Sometimes in life, we find ourselves in challenges that don’t have an immediate fix — a job you can’t leave yet, an acquaintance you can’t easily avoid, a situation that keeps testing your patience — and your progress.

And sure, sometimes the answer is to leave or to cut people off, especially if something feels unsafe or truly toxic.

I’m not talking about those situations. I mean the everyday ones — the jobs, the relatives, the acquaintances that wear on you a bit, but that you’re learning to relate to differently.

The other day, I caught myself in that exact headspace. I was frustrated by someone I have to deal with - overbearing and completely un-self-aware - and started spiraling over everything that still got under my skin.

Then I stopped and reminded myself: Wait. Things are actually better than they used to be.

Maybe not perfect. Maybe not peaceful every day. But definitely better.

And the second I remembered that, I relaxed. I could see the moment for what it was — a small battle, not the whole story.

I realized I already had the advantage — maybe not in every moment, but in the overall direction of things. Because in the bigger picture, I’m already getting what I came for: a little more peace, a little more distance, a little more of myself back.

That’s what I call the 70% rule.

It’s the idea that in life — just like in work — progress that’s good enough to move forward is still progress.
You’ve already shifted enough to breathe again — even if it’s not perfect yet.

Don’t stop yourself from feeling good about the progress you’ve made just because it isn’t everything yet.
That doesn’t mean you stop striving for your ideal — it means you give yourself enough credit for how far you’ve come, because that recognition itself gives you momentum to keep going.

Take work, for example.

Say you don’t love what you do and you’re actively looking for something else — but you keep getting stuck in how much you hate your job.

Instead, pause and zoom out. Ask yourself: how often are you really unhappy?
If it’s two days out of the month — or whatever your threshold is — that’s a win, especially if you know you’re building toward something better on the side.

Life will always have some imperfection. Even your dream job will have its imperfect 10–20%.

That’s really what the 70% rule comes down to — finding the point of enough peace for where you are right now.
It may not be the perfect fix or the final destination, but it’s the version of the situation that feels right for now — that lets you exhale and keep going.

And sometimes, 70% turns out to be exactly enough — because when you stop pressuring yourself to reach 100%, you finally make space for peace.

It’s about being discerning about your energy, your focus, and your calm.

Sometimes that means looking at the bigger picture, changing how you engage, or simply caring less about what doesn’t matter.

And the same truth holds everywhere — in family dynamics, in relationships, even in your own self-growth.

Because some seasons are marathons, not sprints … and when you’re in an everyday tough situation, it’s easy to forget how far you’ve come. One bad interaction, one rough week, and it can feel like you’re back at square one.

But zoom out, if things are even 70% (or 60%) better than before, that’s not failure, that’s progress.
You might still lose a few battles here and there, but you’re not where you started. And that matters.

And if you’re not where you want to be yet, remember, sometimes progress is just finding the next small step that shifts the percentage in your favor.

Because that’s the point of the 70% rule … to remind yourself that even quiet progress is still progress.
You’re already moving forward and that counts. Keep going, and notice how far you already have.

🌿 Reset Moment

📖 Journal Prompt:
What part of your life feels hard right now and if you’re honest, how much better is it than it used to be?

🌸 Tiny Joy:
Take a moment to celebrate yourself — not for finishing the race, but for still running it.
Progress isn’t always loud; sometimes it’s just you, staying steady.

💬 Reframe:
“Real progress often happens while you’re still inside something hard.”

See you next week.
And remember — you can always start over.

🫶🏽
Bina

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