1000%

September 17, 2026

By Mike Primeau - Founder of The Playroom Experiment We hear it often—mostly from athletes who give an interview after a game. They did something spectacular enough for their team, so the broadcaster asks for their two minutes.

They often spew the same coined phrases:

"Well, we came into this game with our backs against the wall, and we've been searching for an answer to end this losing streak. But the team has been working really hard, giving 1000% day in and day out. Tonight, we got off to a good start; we got the puck, and the bounces went our way."

…and the beat goes on.

You can add any other coined phrase you like here.

I am happy to assume their sentiment is genuine. But that decision to put 1000% on the table each day doesn't guarantee the outcome they want every time.

So where—or what—exactly does 1000% get you?

One thing is certain: you can't negotiate it.

If you do "this," it never means you will get "that."

Let's use Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s season this year as an example. I'm going to believe he is giving the same 1000% he gave the Blue Jays in 2025 as he is this year.

The outcomes are different.

One season, he helped the Blue Jays reach the World Series. Another season, it took until September for him to hit his first round-tripper at home.

The effort doesn't come with a guarantee.

And that's the thing about 1000%.

Musicians. Politicians.

Law graduates.

Construction workers. Activists.

Young kids who want good grades.

Community members. Dreamers.

People all over the world put in 1000%.

The thing is, if you don't put in 1000%, then what?

Whether it was my career at the CBC, my past philanthropy work fighting to keep music education in schools—I will tell that story another day—or the work associated with The Playroom Experiment, I believe 1000% directly reflects how much you care about something.

1000% is never enough to guarantee the outcome you want.

But it has to be there.

It's what creates inspiration. Momentum. Movement.

My 1000% for family comes from how much I love the people in it.

The 1000% I put into school came from the desire to build a future for myself.

And the 1000% I put into the game space comes mainly from the idea that a game space like ours stands for more than just arcade fluff.

For some, life is great, and the game space becomes another fun avenue they can enjoy. For others, it means something more.

That's where my 1000% really goes.

And I will make that commitment to young people in every way I can. I can only hope we can navigate barriers as they present themselves.

My 1000% isn't enough to accomplish everything I want to see this game space achieve.

But the more we see others joining in, even to commit a small piece?

Well, that is perhaps...game-changing.