The 80/20 Principle
The 80/20 Principle.In 1897, Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto made a fascinating observation in his garden. He noticed that roughly 20% of the pea pods produced 80% of the peas. Being an economist, he extended this observation to wealth distribution and discovered that 20% of the Italian population owned 80% of the land. This simple observation would eventually become one of the most powerful productivity principles in history: the 80/20 rule or Pareto Principle. The core insight is both simple and profound: in most areas of life, a small minority of causes (around 20%) create the majority of results (around 80%). Understanding this principle can revolutionize how you work, live, and think about achievement. The Mathematics of Effectiveness The 80/20 principle isn’t about exact mathematical precision—it’s about recognizing consistent patterns of imbalance: 20% of customers typically generate 80% of revenue 20% of products usually account for 80% of sales 20% of your activities…