The Power of the “Vital Few”

Are you familiar with the Pareto Principle? You probably know it by another name: the 80/20 rule. 

The Pareto Principle states that 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes. Named after the economist and mathematician Vilfredo Pareto who found that approximately 80% of the land in Italy was owned by only 20% of the people. It asserts that there is an unequal relationship between inputs and outputs. In other words, some actions have a disproportionate outcome on situations. It’s sometimes referred to as the “law of the vital few.” 

While Pareto’s work was focused on economics, James Clear broadens it, asking others to consider how we might apply the Pareto Principle to our lives.  

• Relationships: Who are the few people in my life that have the greatest positive impact on me? How could I spend more time with them? 

• Priorities: What few actions have the most positive and significant impact on my day? How can I prioritize them? 

• Stress: What few sources of stress cause the most friction in my life? What steps can I take to eliminate or minimize them? 

• Learning: What few sources of information do I learn from most significantly? How can I focus on them? 

Choose to live a life of intention and focus. Big doors swing on small hinges. Applying Vilfredo Pareto’s principle of “the vital few” can help us be effective and not just be busy.