Developing the Top 1% Mindset
Sep 06, 2025
I just returned from a leadership conference with my mentor, New York Times bestselling author John Maxwell, and as I promised I’ve got some fresh new strategies to share with you to help you be a transformational leader. One idea keeps echoing in my head: all percentage points are not created equal.
Think about it. Presidents are in the top 1%. Nobel Prize winners are in the top 1%. The innovators who shift culture, spark change, or lead movements, they’re in the top 1%. The top isn’t just a number. It’s a level of influence, excellence, and responsibility that sets people apart.
How do you get there?
1. Be AI+
Maxwell said something that really stuck with me: “AI will make lazy people lazier and smart people smarter.” The truth is, artificial intelligence is a tool: just like the printing press, the telephone, or the internet were in their time. The leaders who thrive won’t just use AI; they’ll leverage it with intentionality.
Being AI+ means you don’t outsource your thinking; you elevate it. You let AI handle the heavy lifting of data, drafts, or analysis, while you pour your creativity, intuition, innovation and wisdom into the final product.
As futurist Alvin Toffler said, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” Being AI+ is about staying adaptable, not passive.
2. Don’t Drown in Data
We live in an age of endless information. Maxwell reminded me that “the most important number is not the biggest number—it’s the last number.” In other words, focus on what matters now.
Yes, the metrics, charts, and spreadsheets can be helpful, but if you’re not careful, you’ll slip into what he calls the “numbness of numbers.” True leaders filter out the noise to identify the signal.
Peter Drucker put it this way: “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” The top 1% don’t just measure everything; they measure what matters and more importantly they act on it. Not tomorrow but NOW. John reminded me to practice the mantra of DO IT NOW, DO IT NOW, DO IT NOW!
3. Set Yourself Apart by Going First
One of Maxwell’s greatest challenges to us was this: “Be the first one to do something new. It will set you apart.”
Innovation isn’t just about technology. It’s about courage: the courage to lead when the path isn’t clear. And don’t I know it. My path right now isn’t clear at all and maybe yours isn’t either. Top 1% leaders don’t wait for permission; we create the momentum. As crazy and uncertain as the world is right now, I couldn’t be more excited about the future. It’s up to me and YOU to create the future we’ve dreamed about. Don’t let fear paralyze you. Here’s my 4-step Process.
- Take action
- Analyze that action
- Pivot accordingly
- Repeat
Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs said, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” The leaders who make it into the top 1% are the ones willing to risk trying something untested to unlock something remarkable. My desire to be remarkable is so I can help others be remarkable too.
4. Stay Relentlessly Committed
Getting to the top 1% isn’t just about intelligence or opportunity. It’s about persistence. Angela Duckworth, author of Grit, says, “Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare.”
Maxwell himself is a living example of this truth. At 78, he’s been pouring into leaders for more than 50 years and still wakes up every morning with the same fire to teach, write, and mentor. That consistency, over decades, is what puts him in the top 1%.
Your 1% Journey
So, how do you get into the 1%? Start by being AI+, not AI-dependent. Refuse to get numb with numbers. Have the courage to go first. And above all, stay relentlessly committed.
The good news is that the 1% isn’t reserved for the chosen few. It’s available to anyone willing to think differently, work consistently, and lead courageously. That's YOU!
The question is: what’s the one move you’ll make this week to start setting yourself apart and moving toward the top 1%?