How to Get 1% Better Without Burning Out (SB1797)

Transcript

Joe (0:00)

You heard of this thing, the eight minute abs?

OG (0:03)

Yeah, sure, eight minute abs. Yeah, the exercise video.

David Gillis (0:06)

Yeah.

Joe (0:07)

Well, this is gonna blow that right out of the water. Listen to this. 7 minute abs.

Doug (0:19)

Live from the basement of the YouTube headquarters, it's the stacking Benjamin. I'm Joe's mom's neighbor Doug, and all this week we've been focused on helping you produce your best, most creative and outstanding work. So today we wrap it up with a roundtable discussion where we ask the question, what can you do to be 1% better every day? That'll bring in the Benjamins. But that's not all, of course. At the halfway mark, we'll pause to see who's gonna win this installment of our year long money trivia challeng. And now a guy who never met a money challenge he didn't love, It's Joe.

Joe (1:15)

Nothing more fun, Doug, than a money challenge, really, to get you focused, a lot of people did the survivor January with their food. January of course ending well right now doing survivor January, people doing all kinds of no spend challenges. Like a challenge is a way to maybe be 1% better, which is exactly what we're talking about today. So we're super happy that you're here with us. Sit back and relax. You found us. And man, we are recording this during snowmageddon across the United States. And Doug, you are not in the basement today. You are a little bit north, eh?

Doug (1:55)

Yeah, we just call it Friday, Joe. Like it's not in Michigan. It's just a normal January and Friday. Not that big a deal.

Joe (2:04)

It's not like life in texarkana where it's called freaking out the two days a year that we actually have this stuff. But we've got an action packed show, you know, on Monday. So let me set this up first. On Monday we talked about better decision making. Do you trust your gut? How many times have you gone, well, my gut says I should do this, and then you don't do it and then I should have trusted my gut. Or do you trust the data when you make decisions? Turns out we found out a lot of science says you need both, right? You need your gut to verify the data. Does it really work for me? And then you also need the data to go, okay, my gut was probably wrong on that one. On Wednesday, we talked about where good decisions come from. Where do good ideas come from? How do you get a little more creative? How do you come up with those things? Help you, your team, your family, whatever it might be. Stack more Benjamins talked about that and on Friday, then we're going to have our roundtable team. Now this is what I thought was a good way to end the week, Doug. We'd have our roundtable team now dive into what they do to be 1%. These are busy people, you know, These are not gurus. Well, one of them is on being 1% better all the time. But they're people that have to manage their time well. They have to think about how do I bring more to the table. So let's start off with a guy across the table who tries to be 1% better every. He's right now he's working on being a 1% better plumber than he was last week. Mr. OG is here.

Summary

Episode Summary: "How to Get 1% Better Without Burning Out" (SB1797)

Podcast: The Stacking Benjamins Show
Date: January 30, 2026
Host(s): Joe Saul-Sehy, OG, Paula Pant, Doug
Guest: David Gillis (Speaker coach, military veteran, founder of the 1% Better Conference)

Episode Overview

In this lively roundtable episode, Joe and OG are joined by Paula Pant (Afford Anything) and special guest David Gillis to discuss practical, sustainable ways to improve yourself—financially, professionally, and personally—by getting “1% better” each day. The conversation blends the classic Stacking Benjamins humor and banter with useful life strategies, as guests draw on their diverse backgrounds in finance, self-improvement, and coaching. Key themes include setting boundaries, channeling energy into growth, and avoiding burnout along the path to improvement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The 1% Better Philosophy

Definition: Small, continual improvements compound over time to create meaningful change.
David Gillis describes his motivation for the upcoming 1% Better Conference:

“It’s about life related... What do you want to do in life and how do you want to get there?” (07:21)
Themes Explored:
- Self-awareness as the foundation of improvement
- Creating supportive communities to foster growth
- Merging financial independence with broader life aspirations

2. Limiting Energy Drainers

Paula Pant highlights digital distractions:

“The majority of my energy draining comes from various screen time activities... Social media is the big one.” (14:08)
Strategy: Use tools (e.g., Freedom app) to block addictive apps and create friction to discourage mindless scrolling.
OG extends this to relationships:

“You have to reevaluate with whom you spend your time... We all have relationships that have been around for a long time. It’s good and comfortable, but it’s not growing." (23:25)
Practical Steps:
- Audit and minimize sources of fatigue (screen time, negative people, unprioritized commitments)
- Recognize the difference between time and money commitments when saying "yes"

3. Seeking Out Energy Enhancers

Gillis introduces the “energy fire hose":

“There’s... the opposite [of energy vampires]. I would say energy, like, a fire hose in a good way... Find those things that kind of help you just move toward that better.” (17:17)
Try New Things:
- Paula discusses her leap into stand-up comedy classes as a form of personal stretch (29:05)
- David shares his experiences with Toastmasters and improv to build confidence and communication
Curate Your Circle:
- Seek out and learn from others doing “amazing things” across different fields (26:36)

4. Intentionality in Growth

"Do Inner Work" (45:28)
- David emphasizes regular self-reflection and understanding personal blind spots.
- Paula focuses on the challenge and value of “silencing the chatter” and letting your mind go quiet (46:42).
Build Systems for Rest & Creativity:
- OG: “You have to have had time off… in order to be creative in your role, I think that puts a little different spin on the time that you do spend not doing the thing you do for work.” (47:06)
- Citing studies: 15 minutes in nature supports mental health (50:36)

5. Strategies and Habits to Get 1% Better

Limiting Draining Tasks:
- Use tech barriers, schedule social media windows (15:26), and recognize when saying “yes” leads to overcommitment.
Journaling & Reading:
- Both are highlighted as habits to foster ongoing growth.
Nutrition and Physical Well-being:
- Prioritize rest, outdoor time, and healthy food choices as the backbone of performance, not an afterthought (49:59).
Experimentation and Identity:
- “Part of becoming 1% better is being that thing that you say you’re working at.” (32:14)

6. Books That Fuel Incremental Improvement

David Gillis: Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke
Paula Pant: 48 Laws of Power

“It illustrates the world, not as you want it to be, but the world as it is and helps you understand the way that people operate...” (54:49)
OG: The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, 1776 by David McCullough
Joe: The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr & Tony Schwartz

“Don’t manage your time, manage your energy.” (60:17)
Doug: Indestructible by John Brunning and a favorite Jimmy Carr quote:

“The thing you want is on the other side of the thing you don’t want to do.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On saying “no”:

“I think I am somebody who says yes too often... If your to-do list isn’t prioritized, you’re not leading it, it’s leading you.”
— David Gillis (18:12)
On curating relationships:

“Cluster of misery. Actively stay away from people who are clusters of misery, as my coach calls them.”
— Joe (24:09)
On creative challenges:

“To stand at a microphone and monologue… that is a completely different skill set.”
— Paula Pant (29:05)
On “owning it”:

“Part of becoming 1% better is being that thing that you say you’re working at… I am a comedian.”
— Joe (32:14)

Important Timestamps

Opening Banter & Episode Setup: 00:00–06:00
Intro to 1% Better and Guest David Gillis: 06:00–09:00
The Concept of Limiting Draining Activities: 12:14–19:11
Impact of Social Media & Tech Barriers: 14:08–16:44
Embracing New Experiences & Community: 26:36–30:49
Comedy and Growth Stories: 29:05–32:14
Intentional Self-Reflection: 45:28–46:42
Rest, Rejuvenation & Nature: 47:06–50:36
Book Recommendations: 53:06–58:18
Closing and Conference Details: 63:59–65:23

Conclusion & Takeaways

Focus on incremental progress: It’s the small, sustainable changes that lead to transformation, not heroic leaps.
Energy management trumps time management: Seek to spend more time on what energizes you and less on what drains you.
Curate your influences and environment: From your relationships to your routines, everything shapes who you become.
Intentional inner work is vital: Self-reflection, quiet, and regular goal-setting keep you grounded and growing.
Experiment and redefine identity: Step into the identity you’re pursuing—even before you completely feel ready.
Bookend your journey with learning: Read widely and reflect often for continual improvement.

For New Listeners

This episode is a great showcase of The Stacking Benjamins Show’s blend of humor, real-world wisdom, and personal finance smarts—proving growth doesn’t have to be grim, and that fun, functional improvement is possible one day (and 1%) at a time.

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