By Colby Kultgen

Hey friends.

Welcome to 1% Better!

If you're new here, this is the newsletter where I share the 5 best things I find each week to help you get better each day.

Let's dive in.

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The Personal Paradigm Shift

I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of a personal paradigm shift.

A single habit or lifestyle change that has an outsized impact on everything else in your life.

The kind of shift that quietly rewires how you move through the world.

Last week, I shared how I’ve reduced my screen time by more than 50% over the last few months.

I can’t even fully describe how much this one change has impacted me.

Reclaiming over an hour per day has given me:

Time to meditate without rushing.
Time to finish books I’d forgotten I even started.
Time to catch up with friends instead of scrolling.

It's created this massive domino effect that has impacted so many different aspects of my life in ways I never expected.

So, here’s my challenge to you:​
Think about what your paradigm shift for 2025 could be?

Maybe it’s cutting your screen time, like I did.
Maybe it’s hitting the gym first thing in the morning (my next target).
Maybe it’s finally fixing your sleep habits.

Choose something that really matters.​
Something that will make everything else easier.

Shift the paradigm.

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An app that lets me do all my reading in one place - Readwise Reader

Ok, I know some of you can relate to this. 😂

I used to be that person—tabs open for weeks, full of articles, Twitter threads, and newsletters I meant to read. But I'd either forget about them or feel too guilty to close them.

The biggest thing that’s helped me fix this? Readwise’s Reader app.

It's basically a personal inbox for everything I want to read online.

I save articles, Twitter threads, PDFs, and newsletters there—and instead of them sitting in a forgotten browser tab, I can actually read them when I have time.

You may have heard of Readwise before.

It’s best known as the app that helps you save highlights from books, articles, and tweets—and then reminds you of those highlights over time so you actually remember the stuff that stuck out to you.

Reader is a newer feature, and it’s bundled into the same subscription.

It’s not free, but if you’ve ever bookmarked something to “read later” and never touched it again, this might be exactly what you need.

(Note: This is not an ad. But Readwise, if you’re seeing this hit me up.)

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The life-changing power of removing the "guesswork"

A hill I'll gladly die on:

Most people don’t fail because they lack discipline—they fail because they leave too much to chance.

I call it "guesswork".

It’s the tiny, seemingly insignificant decisions we’re forced to make throughout the day. Left unchecked, they pile up—draining time, energy, and willpower.

For a long time, my mornings were full of guesswork:

• What am I having for breakfast?
• Do I have time to make coffee, or should I grab one at a cafe?

The result? I often bought coffee out of convenience and cobbled together a rushed breakfast—costing me time, money, and mental energy.

It wasn’t a lack of discipline. It was a lack of clarity.

I was leaving too much to chance.

So, I made a few changes:

1. I bought a cold brew maker. Now, my coffee is always ready in the fridge.
2. I started making overnight oats in bulk. Now, I have a healthy breakfast waiting every morning.

I’m no longer relying on willpower to make good choices.

I’ve automated them.

Here’s my challenge to you:​
Look at the areas in your life that feel clunky or reactive—mornings, workouts, work tasks. Ask yourself: Where am I leaving things to chance?

Identify one area that feels chaotic. Then pinpoint one small tweak to simplify it:

• Prep meals in advance.
• Set out your workout clothes the night before.
• Schedule your most important task at the same time every day.

Discipline is overrated. Systems win every time.

Remove the guesswork.

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19 incredible books to read in 2025 - Video from Ali Abdaal​

One of my big goals for 2025 is to read 50 books.

And I’m here to gently nudge (okay, bully) you into reading more this year along with me.

For my reading list, I’m planning a mix of fiction and non-fiction across a bunch of topics. Because as much as I enjoy self-help books, variety makes reading feel more like a joy than a job.

That’s why I loved this video from Ali Abdaal.

His list has some solid non-fiction picks, plus a refreshing dose of fiction to keep things interesting.

If you're looking to load up your 2025 reading list, it's a great place to start.

P.S. Add me on Goodreads so we can keep each other accountable (or just spy on each other’s reading lists).

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😂

Have a great week!

—Colby

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