Don't be scared off by the name because the 80/20 rule is not about maths! It's actually about how a small amount of your actions each day are having a big impact on your results. The best part about the 80/20 rule is that if understand how it works you will also understand how it applies to you and then you can easily manipulate it to ensure you get great results! Sound good?
The 80/20 rule tells us that 80% of what we achieve in life is a direct result of only 20% of all the actions we take. Now the ratio may not be exactly 80/20 - it may even be 99/1 - but the rule makes it clear that a small number of our actions are actually having a big impact.
Examples of how this applies in your life are everywhere but let's look at a simple example to demonstrate how this works. If you think about everybody you know (friends, family, acquaintances etc) the 80/20 rule tells us that you will spend 80% or more of your time with 20% or less of all of the people you know. Now does that sound about right to you? I bet it does.
Given that 80% of what we achieve is a direct result of 20% of the actions we take, the first point to take away today is that in order to have the most impact you must focus on the 20% that is impacting your 80% - and then disregard the rest. That's right, find your 20% and then forget everything else.
Quite clearly, there is no reason to focus any time or energy on anything other than the 20% that is creating 80% of your results. If you want to get the biggest bang for your buck, you need to focus on any areas that create maximum outcomes (you wouldn't do the opposite because that would be crazy!) However, I can still hear you asking - "but what are my 20% areas? What small things do I need to change that will create the biggest results for me?"
Regrettably, this is not always easy to answer as many things can have a big impact on your results and everyone is different. However, there are always common denominators that seem to impact everyone in one way or another and we can safely assume they are impacting you as well. So what are they?
Your habits are a key driver of your outcomes. If you have all the right habits (like a habit of doing two hours homework every night or a habit of always asking the teacher when you don't understand something) then you can transform your results. Your habits impact you every day and in every way. If you get home from school each day and jump straight onto Facebook or play video games that is your habit. You're not making a conscious decision each time, it's just a habit. The right habits are the biggest game changer there is. It's definitely a 20% area impacting 80% of your results.
The next most cited problem is motivation levels. With a lack of motivation comes a lack of action. So if you can't find a way to feel motivated it will have a significantly negative impact on your results. We all know how much we get done when we have no motivation - nothing! So again we can see that one small area (motivation) is greatly impacting on a big area (your results).
Finally, the third most important 20% area is your memory recall ability. We all know about the importance of tests and exams and how many marks they account for and how much information students need to be able to recall. If you have great memory recall ability you will breeze through tests and exams, and if you don't you will really struggle. Your recall ability can literally make or break you. So again, we can see that a small thing (your 20%) is impacting a large portion of your schooling (your 80%).
Clearly, there are many areas that impact your results in schooling and your results in life for that matter. But by figuring out which areas are having the biggest impact you will be able to quickly change your results. Identify your personal 20% areas that are having a big influence on your outcomes and do something about them today. If you do, your grades will shoot up quickly. If you don't, you should expect more of the same. Good luck!
The 80/20 rule tells us that 80% of what we achieve in life is a direct result of only 20% of all the actions we take. Now the ratio may not be exactly 80/20 - it may even be 99/1 - but the rule makes it clear that a small number of our actions are actually having a big impact.
Examples of how this applies in your life are everywhere but let's look at a simple example to demonstrate how this works. If you think about everybody you know (friends, family, acquaintances etc) the 80/20 rule tells us that you will spend 80% or more of your time with 20% or less of all of the people you know. Now does that sound about right to you? I bet it does.
Given that 80% of what we achieve is a direct result of 20% of the actions we take, the first point to take away today is that in order to have the most impact you must focus on the 20% that is impacting your 80% - and then disregard the rest. That's right, find your 20% and then forget everything else.
Quite clearly, there is no reason to focus any time or energy on anything other than the 20% that is creating 80% of your results. If you want to get the biggest bang for your buck, you need to focus on any areas that create maximum outcomes (you wouldn't do the opposite because that would be crazy!) However, I can still hear you asking - "but what are my 20% areas? What small things do I need to change that will create the biggest results for me?"
Regrettably, this is not always easy to answer as many things can have a big impact on your results and everyone is different. However, there are always common denominators that seem to impact everyone in one way or another and we can safely assume they are impacting you as well. So what are they?
Your habits are a key driver of your outcomes. If you have all the right habits (like a habit of doing two hours homework every night or a habit of always asking the teacher when you don't understand something) then you can transform your results. Your habits impact you every day and in every way. If you get home from school each day and jump straight onto Facebook or play video games that is your habit. You're not making a conscious decision each time, it's just a habit. The right habits are the biggest game changer there is. It's definitely a 20% area impacting 80% of your results.
The next most cited problem is motivation levels. With a lack of motivation comes a lack of action. So if you can't find a way to feel motivated it will have a significantly negative impact on your results. We all know how much we get done when we have no motivation - nothing! So again we can see that one small area (motivation) is greatly impacting on a big area (your results).
Finally, the third most important 20% area is your memory recall ability. We all know about the importance of tests and exams and how many marks they account for and how much information students need to be able to recall. If you have great memory recall ability you will breeze through tests and exams, and if you don't you will really struggle. Your recall ability can literally make or break you. So again, we can see that a small thing (your 20%) is impacting a large portion of your schooling (your 80%).
Clearly, there are many areas that impact your results in schooling and your results in life for that matter. But by figuring out which areas are having the biggest impact you will be able to quickly change your results. Identify your personal 20% areas that are having a big influence on your outcomes and do something about them today. If you do, your grades will shoot up quickly. If you don't, you should expect more of the same. Good luck!
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