The power of one more.

I’m sure it’s a life-hack as old as life itself and I’m not exactly sure where I first heard of it, but the idea is that you do “one more” than what is asked.

For instance, if your goal is to:

• read 20 pages in your book, read 21.

• run for 45 minutes, run 46.

• do 30 pushups, do 31.

This is all easier said than done, of course. We are humans after all. Failure is not uncommon to the species.

And I’m not a huge life-hack guy, by the way.

The way I see it, if we try too many shortcuts, we end up shortcutting ourselves.

However, the concept of “one more” will generally allow us to appreciate it when we take just a little more time for ourselves.

Perhaps our intent becomes clearer.

On the other hand, I may discourage such “one mores” as these:

• Drinking 6 IPAs and settling for a seventh. (You may find yourself in jail after "Lucky" Number 7.)

• Filling yourself up on 4 slices of New York-style pizza and indulging yourself with a fifth.

• Having that second Peanut Buster Parfait from Dairy Queen at snacktime.

These extra-efforts tend to be counter-productive and lazy rather than productive and intentional.

It’s food for thought anyway.

I’ve screwed up a few times, but in the end, it’s the discipline that is important.

The concept of “one more” is also really a matter of discipline.

If you screw up, do it better the next time.

But, back to food…

Treat yourself every once and a while.

As always,

Brian