Perhaps We're Thinking About the 80/20 Principle All Wrong

For the last few weeks I've been involved in a group challenge that is truly shifting my thinking.

It's based on the new book by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy that comes out soon called 10X is Easier Than 2X.?

At the heart of it is a challenge to the 80/20 rule that is also known as the Pareto Principle, or at least the way I have thought about it and applied it.

The 80/20 Rule Explained

The Pareto Principle states that 80% of the outcomes result from 20% of causes. While not necessarily exact in all cases, we find many ways in society where this law generally holds true such as:

• Income distribution (~20% of the population holds ~ 80% of the wealth)
• Occupational health and safety (~20% of hazards create ~80% of injuries)
• Manufacturing (~20% of the causes create ~80% of the defects)
• And so much more!

Where do you see this phenomenon holding true in your life, community, or industry?

How the 80/20 Rule Can Change Our Lives

"Small goals don't require 80/20 thinking, because small goals don't require much adjustment from your current approach." ~ Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy

Here's the rub - if I try and apply the 80/20 principle to my own life, productivity, and results, it isn't asking me to make small changes that will create results. It's not just doing more of the 20% than I am right now.

No, if I truly want to make a big jump, I need to completely let go of the 80%.

At least personally. I may have someone else do those things, automate them, or in some cases eliminate them (there are always some things we are doing that add zero value).?

Woah. This is hard for me to accept, because this means I'm completely changing how I operate. What am I going to do all day??

Things that actually matter, hopefully.

Which, in turn, will deliver bigger results for those I serve and work with.

What's Your 20%?

It's great to start with your 20%. What are you best at? What are your greatest strengths? Of all the things you spend time on, what actions deliver the most important growth?

Some call this a "Genius Zone." Dan Sullivan and Dr. Hardy refer to this as your "Unique Ability." It's where you have superior skills, find intrinsic motivation, and yet where there is also a lot of opportunity for growth and improvement.

Focus on those things.?

But think bigger - would it potentially be possible to do only those things? Or at least a vast majority? How would that change the results in your career, your team, and in you personally??

Would you enjoy yourself more?

Would you be more valuable to others? How so?

Spend some time identifying your 20% areas of highest contribution, and do more of those things!

Identify and Eliminate the 80%

“Only once you give yourself permission to stop trying to do it all, to stop saying yes to everyone, can you make your highest contribution towards the things that really matter.” - Greg McKeown

Okay, this might not be possible for everyone everywhere right away. But can you get there?

If you're an employee, take a hard look at the meetings, activities, and "work" you are doing right now that doesn't seem to matter at all, or at least very little.

See what you can eliminate.

See what you can reduce.

Replace that time with more time spent on your 20% higher level of contribution.

This could actually mean working less hours but getting more done!

Sure, there may need to be some difficult conversations to have to pass off some tasks or stop doing them at all, but frame it not just because these things aren't things you want to do, but because focusing on other areas is actually what is right for the business (because it is).

This may be the cure for burnout while also increasing productivity and results.

Take Intentional Action

Okay, now what?

Here's what I suggest - run some experiments!

It can look like this:

1. Identify a 20% area you can spend more time on
2. Identify an 80% area to eliminate or delegate
3. Shift that time you spend. When done right, this means that you'll actually do about 5-10X more valuable work during that time than previously.
4. Measure your results
5. Take those results to those you work with, and ask for permission to do more of it.
6. Rinse and repeat.

If interested in going bigger in these concepts, I highly suggest you go pre-order this book and read it for yourself!

Accelerate Your Career

If you're ready to accelerate your career and leadership further and want some help doing it, here are a few ways I can help when you're ready:

1. Watch a FREE Engineering Career Masterclass - the 4 Keys to Intentional Engineering Career Transitions
2. Enroll in the Engineering Career Accelerator - the exact system that dozens of engineers have used to go from confused to thriving in their careers.
3. Schedule a free call with me to talk about getting personalized 1:1 and group support on your goals.

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