De-stress your life by using "The 90/10 principle"

(I am sharing this article I came across, written by Stephen Covey - the famous author of "7 habits of successful people". I hope you Enjoy it like I did).

Discover the 90/10 Principle and it will change your life (at least the way you react to situations) what is this principle? "10% of life is made up of what happens to you and 90% of life is decided by how you react" What does this really mean? We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us as we cannot stop the car from breaking down, the plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off or a driver may cut us off in traffic and we have no control over this 10% whereas the other 90% is different and you determine the other 90% How? ……….By your reaction!

You cannot control a red light but you can control your reaction, don't let people fool you; YOU can control how you react. Let's use an example.You are eating breakfast with your family, your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt, you have no control over what just happened, what happens next will be determined by how you react, right? what do you do? You curse, you harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over and then she breaks down in tears, after scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticise her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows and you storm upstairs to change your shirt and rush back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and could not get ready for school. As a result she misses her school bus and your spouse who has to leave for work as well hence you have rush to the car and drive your daughter to school, and then as you are late, you drive 80 km an hour in a 60 kmph speed limit and the cop catches you.

Then after a 15-minute delay and throwing Rs.500/- for traffic fine away, you arrive at school and then your daughter runs into the school building without kissing goodbye to you and after arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase at home. Your day has started terribly wrong and then it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to coming home. When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter, Why? Because of how you reacted in the morning and you analyse why did you have a bad day?

A) Did the coffee cause it

B) Did your daughter cause it

C) Did the policeman cause it

D) Did you cause it

The answer is “D"

You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day. Here is what could have and should have happened. Coffee splashes over you, your daughter is about to cry, you gently say, "Its ok baby, you just need to be more careful next time". Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs, after grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus, then she turns and waves at you. You arrive at office 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff, our boss comments on how good the day you are having.

Did you Notice the difference? Two different scenarios, both started the same way, both ended differently, Why?

Because of how you REACTED! You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens, the other 90% was determined by your reaction,

Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 principle :

1. If someone says something negative about you, don't be a sponge
2. Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You don't have to let the negative comment affect you.
3. React properly and it will not ruin your day
4. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend or dear one /being fired/getting stressed out etc
5. How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic
6. Do you lose your temper?
7. Pound on the steering wheel?
8. Do you curse?
9. Does your blood pressure skyrocket?
10. Do you try and bump them?
11. WHO CARES if you arrive ten seconds later at work?
12. Why let the cars ruin your drive?

Remember the 90/10 principle, and do not worry about it, You are told you lost your job, Why lose sleep and get irritated?, it will work out, use your worrying energy an d time into finding another job, the plane is late; it is going to mangle your schedule for the day, why take out your frustration on the flight attendant?,she has no control over what is going on, Use your time to study, get to know the other passenger,why get stressed out? it will just make things worse, Now you know the 90-10 principle, Apply it and you will be amazed at the results, you will lose nothing if you try it, The 90-10 principle is incredible, very few know and apply this principle., the result?

Millions of people are suffering from undeserved stress, trials, problems and heartache_

We all must understand and apply the 90/10 principle

It CAN change your life!!!