Creating Change With The 80/20 Rule

How do you create change when there are so many obstacles? One option is to use the 80/20 Rule also known as the Pareto Principle or the law of the vital few.

The Pareto principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, is a theory maintaining that 80 percent of the output from a given situation or system is determined by 20 percent of the input. The principle is named for Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist. In 1906, Pareto noted that 20 percent of the population in Italy owned 80 percent of the property. He proposed that this ratio could be found many places in the physical world and theorized it might indicate a natural law.

The easiest way to apply Pareto's principle in life is to look at the things that you do daily and that influence your happiness and productivity.

How do you spend your free time when you are not at work? Do you have any hobbies or like certain leisure activities that help you relax and feel better? If watching TV and just lying on the couch accounts for 80% of your precious downtime, it will only bring you 20% of actual enjoyment and happiness. Change this around and find a hobby that will be beneficial to your body and mind.

Who do you spend your time with the most? Think of the friends you do not enjoy being around that you spend 80% of your time with. Does your social life bring you satisfaction and happiness? If this isn't the case, then find new people to hand out

with who will improve your life. If you can't find them in person, listen to podcasts,

read blogs or enter online groups where you get value and support that you will

benefit from.

And finally, when it comes to money, think about what you buy. Is 80% your money being spent on useless things that you don't even use? Think before you buy and

ask yourself if what you buy will bring you value and will improve your life.