One classic example is that of the .300 hitter in baseball.
You play left field. Your performance in left field is certainly adequate. For the past
2 years you have consistently hit .300 or more against major league pitching. One year you hit .324.
You recently signed a contract for 6 years for $48 million dollars. With a small amount of outside work and your slightly
better than average personality you earn an additional $8 million a year in endorsements, commercials,
and personal appearances. Your life is good and if you continue this performance your future income
and life style could even improve.
Consider the same player, you, with one small change in your behavior. Instead of hitting .300 or
better, your batting average against major league pitching is .250. Your still capable of earning a
good living, although unfortunately because of a small error in judgment on the part of your agent, you held out for too much from your last major league club, and were summarily dumped, forcing you to sign for a paultry $400,000.00 You still get some "pocket change" from some of the major sporting goods companies, but nothing like $8 million dollars. Commercials ? Well, you did one for a local car dealer. They paid you $1200.00, but the results weren't particularly dramatic, and many of the local advertisers don't want to use you. Rumor has it you're not going to be re-signed next year.
Seem like a dramatic difference in performance. I guess it is if your name is Barry Bonds or Ken Griffey Jr. But ... what is the real difference in performance. The fascinating difference is very, very small ... wouldn't you agree?
For every 20 times at bat ... the .300 hitter gets ... that the .250 hitter doesn't get. ONE HIT !!!
Since the average baseball player comes to the plate about 20 times per week, that means that the .300 hitter, goes to work, wears the same uniform, works with the same people, does his job, and gets ONE HIT that the .250 hitter doesn't. ONE successful performance MORE !!! per week, on a consistent basis.