The Pareto Principle

The Pareto Principle - 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.

This can be applied in:

Economics - 80% of the wealth is in the hands of 20% of the population.

Business - 80% of sales come from 20% of the population.

Health Care - 80% of healthcare resources are used by 20% of the population.

Home - 20% of your carpet receives 80% of the wear!

It can also be applied, of course, in nutrition

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80% of our results come from 20% of our actions.

So what is the point?

We need to determine which habits are in our 20%...and do more of them.

Before I give you my ideas, what do you think? What is your 20% that has 80% of the impact?

While my list is certainly far from gospel, and recognizing that it will vary from person to person, here are my thoughts:

1. Sleeping 7-8 hours a night

2. Eat a lot of vegetables, especially green, cruciferous vegetables

3. Eat less processed foods

4. Exercise regularly

Now this is a “No duh” sort of list. Of course we need to do these things. But are we?

I also think it is helpful for a few reasons.

1. Sometimes life gets overwhelming. We can’t do everything. If we can come back to the 20% of actions that have the greatest impact on our health, we have clarity, and it seems more manageable.

2. Sometimes we get so hyper focused the details, that we miss out on the big habits that will help us the most.

3. We could take this even further and ask, “What is the ONE thing that would have the greatest impact on my life/health/etc. right now?” If we can find that ONE high-leverage action and focus exclusively on it, it can make a disproportionate positive difference in our lives.

So today, identify your 20%, make sure they are solid, and watch the 80% returns roll in...one-minute at a time.