The 80/20 rule is one of the most useful mental models that I’ve picked up in my life.
Also known as the Pareto principle, this rule captures the observation that roughly 80% of good outcomes come from just 20% of our efforts.
You can use this idea in all sorts of ways to make your life easier and increase your impact.
The trick is to figure out the 20% of things that really matter (the vital few). If you can do this, and prioritise those things, you’re likely to see big improvements.
Even better, those improvements can be achieved with less effort than before, by cutting out the 80% of things that don’t really matter (the trivial many).
It’s a model that I’ve found powerful in most aspects of my life including work, relationships and health.
This four-step process from James Clear is a beautifully simple way to apply the 80/20 rule to your life.
(1) Make a list of the 10 things you spend the most time on.
(2) Circle the two that truly drive your results. Do more of those.
(3) Look at the others. Eliminate ruthlessly. Automate or outsource what you can. Press pause on the rest.
(4) Repeat.
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits
Give it a go and ask yourself: what are the vital few things that truly drive your results today?
