80/20 rule applies to you

The 80-20 Rule

You might never have heard of the "Pareto Principle," but it is the name for what many call the "80/20 rule."

Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist, once famously observed that 80 percent of the land was owned by 20 percent of the population.

In your business, the rule implies that approximately 20 percent of your clients/contracts/crops produce 80 percent of your income. In your life, 80 percent of the love and support you receive come from just 20% of the contacts on your cell phone.

If you can focus on the 20% that brings you 80% of your income, satisfaction and success, you can change the ratio. Think about how little of your 40 hours of work accounts for the majority of your results.

Here are some signs that will help you to recognize whether you're spending your time as you should:

The 80% of your life will be marked with these marks:

You're busy on tasks other people want you to do, but you see no future in them. You're always doing something that just popped up and is “urgent.”

You're spending time on tasks you are not usually good at doing that others could do. Activities are taking a lot longer than you expected. You find yourself complaining all the time. Your spouse or friends do not see why you are doing this task.

The 20 percent will involve these points:

You see this as a step or part of your dream--your overall purpose in life. You're doing things you have always wanted to do

You feel good about yourself upon doing this task. You're hiring people to do the tasks you are not good at or don't like doing. You're smiling. You're spouse sees the wisdom of your task and is supportive

As the old saying goes: "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing."

David B. Peel

Attorney at Law

Mr. Peel is a local attorney who practices in the areas of Accident, Injuries, Malpractice and Nursing Home Neglect. Mr. Peel often addresses churches and clubs and can be contacted through www.PeelLawFirm.com, wherein other articles can also be found.

Thirty True Things

Thirty True Things

These are not necessarily, “the” thirty truest things, but I believe them all to be true. What do you think?

30. Every boy needs a dog.

29. God gives you only enough good shots in golf to keep you coming back.

28. Insanity is continuing to do the exact same thing, but expecting different results.

27. Failing at times is assured, but being a “failure” is a decision you make.

26. We should spend a lot of time visiting with our grandparents while we have them.

25. Death of a loved one feels deeply wrong and unnatural, and that is because it was never intended to begin with.

24. Words, not just sticks and stones, can hurt.

23. People should be judged on the content of their character, not their color.

22. God has a sense of humor. (Consider the duck-billed platypus, or the way you wore your hair at senior prom.)

21. There are no dead atheists.

20. The suicide rate among the poor will never catch up with that of the rich.

19. Fathers should help support the children they help make.

18. Insurance companies don’t seem to like to pay claims.

17. Contrary to poplar belief, not all lawyers are crooked.

16. Only true Christianity through faith in Jesus offers forgiveness and a right relationship to God, forever.

15. Camping makes you appreciate the outdoors while there, and the indoors when you return home.

14. Debt is a curse, not a blessing, and one does not have to live with a car note forever.

13. Love people, use things; never the other way around.

12. You just can’t make everybody happy.

11. Feed a man a fish, you feed him for a day; teach him to fish, you feed him for lifetime.

10. If you shall not work, neither should you eat. (Notice it is “shall not”, not “cannot.”)

9. Kids can help out with small chores at age 3, and more thereafter; and should always say “Sir” and “Ma’am.”

8. There is always one person at every execution...the mother.

7. Macs are just better computers than PCs.

6. Placing a child for adoption is an act of love, not abandonment.

5. Abortion kills children.

4. Parenting is the most important job in the world.

3. Love is best lived out, and should be said on a daily basis.

2. No one, on his deathbed, ever wished he had spent more time at the office.

1. There is nothing all that wrong with this old world, it’s just the people in it.

Must read Family story, author unknown

F A M I L Y

I ran into a stranger as he passed by,

'Oh excuse me please' was my reply.

He said, 'Please excuse me too;

I wasn't watching for you.'

We were very polite, this stranger and I.

We went on our way and we said goodbye.

But at home a different story is told,

How we treat our loved ones, young and old.

Later that day, cooking the evening meal,

My son stood beside me very still..

When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.

'Move out of the way,' I said with a frown.

He walked away, his little heart broken.

I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

While I lay awake in bed,

God's still small voice came to me and said,

'While dealing with a stranger,

common courtesy you use,

but the family you love, you seem to abuse.

Go and look on the kitchen floor,

You'll find some flowers there by the door.

Those are the flowers he brought for you.

He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.

He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,

you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes.'

By this time, I felt very small,

And now my tears began to fall.

I quietly went and knelt by his bed;

'Wake up, little one, wake up,' I said.

'Are these the flowers you picked for me?'

He smiled, 'I found 'em, out by the tree.

I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.

I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue.'

I said, 'Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;

I shouldn't have yelled at you that way.'

He said, 'Oh, Mom, that's okay.

I love you anyway.'

I said, 'Son, I love you too,

and I do like the flowers, especially the blue.'

FAMILY

Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company

that we are working for could easily replace us in

a matter of days.

But the family we left behind will feel the loss

for the rest of their lives.

And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more

into work than into our own family,

an unwise investment indeed,

don't you think?