Pareto principle
The 80-20 rule, or 90-10 rule, is also called the pareto principle. It’s a proportion that applies to lots of things. For example, 80 percent of results come from 20 percent of your effort. That’s not something wrong with you; that’s not something wrong with the work you’re doing or the effort you’re putting in. It’s just that, some activities produce a lot more results than others. The first pass with a paintbrush covers a lot of the space. The second pass covers more, but not as much more as the first coat of paint covered. The third time you paint over it, you’re touching up, doing the edges, maybe making it darker. The third time gives only 20 percent or less of the results.
Vacuuming up a spill, you’ll get most of it up in the first sweep. You want to go on and get as much as you can, but at some point, 80 to 90 percent of the mess is cleaned up. You have to decide: how important is it to keep going, to get only a little more cleaned up? At what point is the floor clean enough, to let it go? Because you’re never going to get it spotless. Just breathing on it, you’re shedding hair and dead skin cells, maybe sweating on it. Is it worth polishing?
I’m writing a blog. 80 percent of people who see my blog address, may not click on it. Hopefully 20 percent will. Of those 20 percent who saw the address and clicked on it, say for example, ten people; eight of them will likely read one or two posts and be done. Two people out of those ten, will read more and some, maybe one person, will read every single post. That’s okay. This is a normal result. These proportions are not exact. Some posts will prove more popular and some groups will read more or less. But most of what you do will not make a huge difference to someone else, and that’s okay. The ten percent that does make a difference, will be huge.
I’m living my life. 80 percent or more of my time is spent maintaining life: eating, sleeping, showering, cleaning up after myself, toileting, exercising, getting myself to appointments. It doesn’t feel pivotal, because it’s not; it’s maintenance, continuing, keeping on Keepin’ On. I need to pay attention to the 20 percent that is pivotal, that will change my life and the lives of others: how am I interacting with people? Am I being kind? Did I smile sincerely? Did I listen, pay attention, and respond? Did I let them know I care how they’re doing? Did I pay attention to my own emotions and be kind to myself? Did I then let them go on to whatever else they need to do?
Now, other people will sometimes be offended if I try to influence them. Other times they will absorb as much of my energy as they can, taking over my life if I let them. Sometimes the best move is to spend 20 percent helping them, and then let go. They’re responsible for their own lives, after all. I’m only responsible for mine. It’s okay to let them choose to be wrong, let them choose to run amuck—as long as it’s not hurting others. Even then, they get to choose whom they allow to hurt them, and I have to let them choose. There are times to step in and stop people hurting each other, but that’s time to listen to God’s guidance. He knows what will work best.
