Even the world's most successful leaders and top performers, whether Fortune 500
CEOs or a chart-topping artists, view the pursuit of mastery as a continuous journey,
not a destination. What separates the top 1%, though, isn't just their initial success,
but their relentless commitment to growth long after others plateau. Think Warren
Buffett, who is still learning at 94, Madonna, reinventing her music decades into her
career, and Gordon Ramsay or Heston Blumenthal, who constantly push culinary
boundaries. All these legends embody this principle because the more skilled you
become, the more you see the subtleties, possibilities, and depths you hadn't noticed
before.
“The gap between good and extraordinary isn't talent, it's the tiny, deliberate choices
that compound over time,” says Jacqueline van Rooijen, Transformation Coach and
Founder of Ycagel. “Most people optimise for comfort; the top 1% optimise for
growth.”
She reveals 10 little-known mindsets and micro-habits the top 1% use to stay ahead,
with insights you can adopt right now.
1. Strategic Vulnerability
Admitting “I don’t have all the answers” isn’t weakness, it’s a catalyst for
innovation. When Satya Nadella became Microsoft’s CEO in 2014, he openly
acknowledged areas he hadn’t mastered. That humility ignited a culture shift
toward collaboration and reignited the company’s growth.
2. Daily Mind Audits
A nightly “win/loss” journal where you record one triumph and one misstep
builds self-awareness. Lady Gaga credits this simple reflection practice for her
ability to reinvent herself and deliver hit after hit. It builds the self-awareness that
separates good performers from great ones.
3. Worst-Case Rehearsals
Rather than fearing failure, challenge yourself to map out exactly how you’d
respond if the worst-case scenario happens. Jeff Bezos famously required
Amazon teams to conduct 'pre-mortem' sessions – imagining their project had
failed and working backwards to identify and prevent potential causes.
4. Micro-Mentorship
You don’t need boardroom heroes – wisdom lies everywhere. Turn everyday
interactions in unexpected places into five-minute mentoring moments. Pharrell
Williams (well-known musician) has said his best musical insights often come
from non-artists, like cab drivers or store clerks. He listens for mood, rhythm, and
emotion in everyday speech.
5. “Over-Overcommunication” of Vision
Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings believes that over-communication of context
far outweighs persuasion. He famously published the company’s internal “culture
deck” for the world to see, making it available not just to employees, but to
investors, competitors, and anyone curious enough to click. His goal? To ensure
total clarity on where the puck is headed.
6. Harness the Habit
Track one tiny habit, like reading a paragraph of a classic each day, and
celebrate each small win. Serena Williams treated her serve routine as a ritual:
with five bounces on first serves and two on second, helping her stay focused
and consistent under pressure.
7. Mastering Deep Work
Reserve two 90-minute “deep work” sessions per week with no distractions.
Warren Buffett spends around 80% of his time quietly reading and thinking,
immersed in financial reports and books, purposely avoiding social media to
focus on his long-term investments.
8. Embedded Generosity
Multiply your impact beyond profit. Marc Benioff entrenched giving into
Salesforce's DNA with his 1-1-1 model (1% equity, 1% time, 1% product),
creating a culture that boosted both employee engagement and customer loyalty.
9. Preemptive Planning
Draft your “what if something goes wrong” analysis prior to starting a big project.
Before launching Barbie’s 2023 rebrand, Mattel ran scenario planning
exercises to anticipate backlash and missteps before a single ad went live. This
pressure-testing helped the team fine-tune messaging and strategy, turning
potential pitfalls into global success.
10. Thriving Rhythms Over Work Life Balance
Forget a rigid 50/50 split. Design weekly rhythms that let different facets of your
life shine on different days – family night on Mondays, creative Fridays. Richard
Branson credits his adventurous pursuits for fuelling his creativity.
“Leadership development isn’t optional”, concludes van Rooijen. “It’s the lifeblood of
sustained success. Use these strategies as your blueprint to elevate performance,
spark innovation and cultivate resiliency; and even share it with colleagues and
contacts who refuse to settle for 'good enough’.
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About Jacqueline van Rooijen.
Jacqueline van Rooijen is a strategic leadership advisor, high-performance sales
coach, and founder of The Elite Edge™ — a 90-day executive programme designed
to help growth-stage CEOs, sales leaders, and founders scale with clarity, cohesion,
and conviction.
With a background spanning leadership development, operational excellence, and
on-the-ground sales team activation, her approach is unapologetically strategic and
deeply personal. She builds trust fast, sees gaps others miss, and partners with
leadership teams to build systems that not only work but last.
“I don’t just coach — I help leaders build growth engines that scale with their values,
not against them.” Jacqueline van Rooijen
A Press Release on Behalf of:
Jacqueline van Rooijen
Director at Ycagel
Transformation Coach