Pareto Principle

You focus on the 20 percent if the following statements ring true: 

• You are engaged in activities that advance your overall purpose in life (assuming you know what that is). You are doing things you have always wanted to do or that make you feel good about yourself.
• You are working on tasks you do not like, but you are doing them knowing they relate to the bigger picture.You are hiring people to do the tasks you are not good at or do not like doing.
• You are smiling.   

You have to be careful in how you apply the Pareto Principle. One management theory, Superstar Management, claims that since 20 percent of your people produce 80 percent of your results you should focus your limited time on managing only that 20 percent, the superstars. However, you should spend 80 percent of your time doing what is really important. Helping the good become better is a better use of your time than helping the great become terrific.