The 80/20 Rule

There are two types of people in the world, those who get things done and those who wallow in self-pity complaining about all the things wrong with the world. I'm interested in the first type, what are they doing right which the majority of people fail to do.

The Parento Principle is something which can give you a glimpse into what these high achievers do differently to those who wallow in self-pity and talk about how they weren’t born with talent.

It’s a principle about High Return Variables, the rule simply states that 80% of results will come from just 20% of the action. This rule can be applied to all facets of life Business, Health, Languages, Sports the list is endless.

The studies on this principle show how people use Pareto to help them determine what is of vital importance. Then, they delegate the rest, or simply let it go. It’s the process of identifying what tasks offer the highest returns then focusing on systematically completing them.

Language Learning

People are surprised when they hear that I learned to speak Mandarin only after spending a year in China. I was able to achieve an Intermediate level in about 2 years.

People say that I have a gift for languages, I’m blessed with the ability to absorb vocabulary quickly. This is only because they are unaware of the power of the Parento Principle. If you are able to concentrate all of your energy into a few important things for an extended period of time you can learn any language.

I don’t dispute the fact that there are other variables such as natural inclinations or a conducive environment. But other than that, most of the magic lies in the important task of identifying what exactly you need to learn and finding an experienced teacher to help you achieve it efficiently.

When learning a new language it’s important to limit the low return variables such as passive learning e.g. watching movies in the target language, before you’ve reached an adequate level. It can help create an interest in the culture and language but when it comes to results it fairs the lowest, due to the inability to measure progress.

You should be focusing more on direct measurable exercises such as graded reading and grammar drills. These are tasks which are active, whereby you can test yourself and see if you've reached the objective. for e.g. Having a 1 on 1 lesson with a teacher is a High Return Variable because you are able to get instant feedback on your mistakes and a clear assessment of your level.

According to the Parento Principle, spending 80% of your time on high return variables will not only speed up your language learning process, but it will also ensure that you have a solid foundation in your target language.

Parento In Daily Life

I really like wearing Golf shirts, I have a cupboard filled with them in various colours. Why is it that on any given day, I choose 2 of my favourite ones. No matter how many times I tell myself that I will wear the others I always gravitate towards these two. 80% of the time I will pick these shirts.

I love eating fruits but most of the time I will pick either a Banana or an Apple. Sometimes I will choose to eat other fruits such as Tangerines, Mangos depending on the season. But I consistently choose to eat Bananas or Apples 80% of the time.

Here are some more Pareto examples:

20% of criminals commit 80% of crimes
20% of drivers cause 80% of all traffic accidents
80% of pollution originates from 20% of all factories
20% of a companies products represent 80% of sales
20% of employees are responsible for 80% of the results
20% of students have grades 80% or higher

These examples are proof of the Parento Principle which operates invisibly in our daily life without us being aware.

What if it was possible to use this principle to speed up our ability to learn new skills or develop our current ones more effectively and efficiently.

How To Apply The Principle

If you are a freelancer one of the biggest challenges is maintaining your income stream, by ensuring that your long term clients are satisfied and providing them with the best service to ensure that they stay. However you also have to keep an eye on the future, by trying to grow your business and bringing in new customers.

However this can be a difficult tightrope to walk, but the Parento Principle can help you identify who exactly are your most important clients that bring in the most revenue for your business. So focus on that 20% that provide 80% of the profit because they are the ones who drive your business, you can expend the rest of your leftover energy or time on expanding and tapping into other potential income streams.

The reality of life is that we only have 24 hours in a day, not only is our time limited but so is our energy. The Parento principle can help you realise the limitations we have and to clear the mental baggage which overwhelms us when we have to complete tasks. It’s a lighthouse amongst the distractions which cause frustration.

This Principle cuts out all the excess and gets straight to the important things which we need to focus on. Whether it’s starting a new business or learning a new language the Principles are readily available to help you clear away distractions to focus on exactly what you need to do.

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