From Tiny Habits to Immense Victories : The Path of Marginal Gains
This is my first attempt on Medium. It’s an English translation of my French blog. You may already be familiar with some concepts. However, in French, we don’t really know authors like James Clear or the law of marginal gains :)
Introduction to Reflection 😀
Last week, a question seized me : what if a universally acclaimed law (Pareto’s law) wasn’t the miracle solution we imagine? 🌟 In my entrepreneurial journey and personal development path, I explored a strategy inspired by the sports world with dazzling results 🏆:
The law on MARGINAL GAINS !
In this post, I unveil how I integrated this transformative approach into my personal routine. You’ll discover its essence, its potentially revolutionary benefits (spoiler alert : HUGE !), and its power to challenge our most deeply held convictions (Goodbye, universal Pareto’s law 🚀).
I’ll also provide you with keys to make this method your own and implement it both in your personal life and within your organizations. Together, let’s make it a cultural cornerstone of our projects and initiatives !
Questioning the Pareto Principle 💡🔄
Two weeks ago, while immersed in creating my first PUNCH thumbnail, a spark of inspiration led me to consider a second creation. I thought to myself… “Hmm, not very Pareto, all this…” Which meant, in other words, that my approach might not be the most efficient. Normally, I should prioritize the famous 80/20 rule to focus my efforts on the most impactful tasks… 🤷♂️
Indeed, it wasn’t very Pareto. But, at that precise moment, the irresistible urge to explore this second thumbnail seized me ! By bringing this idea to life, and then a third, I realized that I had unleashed a true creative whirlwind, which almost got stifled. Is it really wise to pause such creative effervescence in the name of Pareto ? 🎨
So I paused, deeply contemplating this question about Pareto and the habits I had sculpted over the past two years… Ironically, as my mind revolved around Pareto, I remembered having adjusted dozens of routines. And then, the revelation! 💯
Is it opportune to rigorously apply the Pareto principle in our personal development efforts, corporate cultures, or business strategies?
Since then, I have been reflecting on this law. I wrote an article that captivated the audience.
Through my readings and experiences, I have accumulated valuable knowledge that I am eager to share with you here. 🚀
My Philosophy of Continuous Improvement 🔍💪
Let me share my journey with you so that you fully grasp the path I’ve taken, the obstacles overcome, and the valuable lessons you can draw from it.
All of this is based on a counterintuitive yet incredibly effective approach!
« We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. »
Aristotle
After the loss of my businesses, a dark period opened up before me. Faced with this abyss, two choices presented themselves: to let myself be engulfed or to bounce back with more strength than ever. It’s in this abyss that I found the strength to reinvent myself 🌱.
I chose to act only on what was within my sphere of control, letting the rest fade away :
Physical activity 🏋️♂️ : My back was constantly causing me pain, and exercise had almost become a distant memory.
Nutrition 🥗 : With 15 extra kilograms (30 pounds), I was eating poorly, and every aperitif only worsened my condition. My reflection in a mirror was becoming unbearable.
Learning 📚 : Reading had disappeared from my life since the traction due to the discovery of our market fit. No more time for that.
Failure 😔 : It was time to stop wallowing in despair, to seek a way out rather than curse fate for Covid and lockdowns.
*Upon closer examination, I’ve changed all these aspects of life that can’t be bought, no matter how much wealth is accumulated. These essential elements, often overlooked in everyday life, are crucial if you want a fulfilling life and to achieve peak performance !
I categorically refused to settle for a job out of despair, to sink into a mediocre routine, and to become just another face consumed by bitterness. Entrepreneurship had chosen me for a reason. I needed time, space to breathe ! 🌌
So I rediscovered the pleasure of reading, resumed exercising, consulted for my back. Step by step, with perseverance.
This journey through time, although seeming to belong to another era, has transformed me. 🦋
In 365 days, I had bid farewell to my pains, lost 15 kg, and consumed 5 business books.
And 730 days later, I was 8 kg (16 pounds) more muscular, had run 2,600 kms, completed the Spartan Challenge 300, eradicated junk food and alcohol from my life, banished negative thoughts, achieved unprecedented physical and mental fitness. All this, without any medication. I explored dozens of books, enriched my knowledge in English, launched a YouTube channel, created this blog, took the lead at Helios Gaming… In short, I became an endless source of energy. 🔋
Health is now my ultimate quest, my daily routine. If sages like Warren Buffet insist on the importance of health as an absolute priority, their words resonate today with crystalline clarity in my mind. This subject deserves a separate chapter, which I will be delighted to address soon. 🌟
Inspirations philosophiques et littéraires 📚💭
I have often wondered about the secret to the Olympic-level fitness of the greatest entrepreneurs who inspire me. How do they achieve such organization, triumphing over procrastination while we, mere mortals, waste our time between Netflix and social media ? 🤔💡
And what was going on in the mind of a Steve Jobs when faced with his ousting, how did these giants digest monumental failures to bounce back even stronger? Furthermore, how did our distant ancestors find happiness without our comfortable modernity ? Armed with these questions, I embarked on a quest for knowledge.
The first milestone on my journey was Renaud Demaret’s book, “Faites ce que vous n’aimez pas” (Do What You Don’t Like — I’m not sure existing an english version of the book). It was a real motivational wake-up call !
📖💥 After reading it, a decision became clear : I had to transform into the person I would be in 10, 20 years… no matter how long it took.
Ultra-ambitious goals in sight, guided by an inner compass inscribed with the words #Passion, #Ambition, #Perseverance, and #Enthusiasm.
Then came “The 4-Hour Workweek” by Tim Ferriss, another thunderbolt in my universe. 🌟
This book revealed a fascinating possibility : the concept of designing Muse businesses that generate passive income with minimal time investment. All of this, orchestrated by the ingenious Pareto Principle! 🚀
These readings haven’t just enriched my library ; they’ve redefined my perception of what’s possible, expanding the horizon of my ambitions and actions in this complex and exhilarating world.
Let’s talk about the Pareto principle 📊💡
This rule, to simplify it :
20% of the efforts produce 80% of the results ! So, the key is to detect and focus on these 20/80 actions. You’ll read everywhere that this is the recommended strategy.
Whether you’re in the industry or self-employed, the observation is clear :
➡️ 20% of your customers generate 80% of your revenue. 📈
➡️ 20% of the most “demanding” customers are the source of 80% of the troubles. 😓
➡️ 20% of the employees accomplish 80% of the work. 💼 (#Troll 🧌)
The goal ? Focus on these efficiency levers and abandon what resembles surplus.
This is precisely what I embarked on : identifying all high-impact actions, ignoring the rest, and transforming myself into a true force of nature, acting according to the 80/20 principle. What a revelation ! ✨
But then, what are these famous 80/20 actions ?
In my quest for excellence, I have explored various avenues :
➡️ What could be the 80/20 training programs ? 🎓
➡️ Which books fall into this 80/20 category ? 📚
➡️ Which physical activities are most efficient according to this principle ? 🏋️♂️
➡️ What foods should constitute the bulk of my caloric intake ? 🥗
In summary, my life has become an embodiment of the 80/20 principle (even adopting intermittent fasting, aiming to reduce my intake by 20% to lose 80% of my excess weight).
*Small disclaimer : that’s not how our bodies work ! Adjusting your diet and lifestyle requires a more nuanced and personalized approach.
The 20/80 man! 🚀🧠
At the dawn of my journey, I crossed paths with Olivier Roland, a brilliant mind who could easily be dubbed the French Tim Ferriss. His approach to the 20/80 principle is nothing short of artistic.
In his captivating book, “Not Everyone Had the Chance to Fail in Their Studies,” he reveals three universal principles:
➡️ The Pareto Principle 📊
➡️ The Best Methods 🛠️
➡️ The Right Skeptic 🤨
Captivated by the depth of his analyses, I dove headfirst into his flagship course, “Blogueurs Pro.” I wrote a great article about it that I invite you to read 😉.
I can assure you : the universe is filled with 20/80 dynamics. It’s an obvious truth !
Among the 20/80 initiatives I’ve embraced is the revitalization of my English learning journey 🇬🇧.
📈 Historically, languages and I didn’t get along. But a meeting with someone at an international event truly energized me.
Then, Mosalingua became my daily ritual for 10 minutes. My goal ? To read books directly in English.
Why this determination ? The Anglo-Saxon world, being pioneering, often precedes us in trends and thoughts, with translations reaching us after a long delay (2 to 5 years), a significant gap. 🌎➡️🕰️
Minds like Dan Koe, merging spirituality and entrepreneurship with remarkable acuity, have broadened my horizons. I’ll write a post about this soon.
Ten minutes a day, insignificant? Combined with my English lessons, they opened the doors to English literature, podcasts, and movies in their original version. The further I progress, the more refined my appetite for progress becomes, and the more I evolve.
During this first year of transformation, I delved into the realm of 20/80 actions, relentlessly seeking the most effective workouts. Although consistent in my practice 🏋️♂️, my time management still has room for improvement in my opinion. Curious about productivity methods, I questioned my old habits, explored the most suitable tools.
The introduction of a time blocking system marked a turning point, despite some moments of procrastination. But, unlike before, I am now fully aware of these lapses. 🔄💡
Habits : Key to Change 🔑
Atomic Habits : The Catalyst for Sustainable Transformation 🚀
Before delving into the Law of Marginal Gains, let’s explore a fundamental precept: habits.
In January 2022, the discovery of “Atomic Habits” marked a turning point. The surprise of those around me was palpable when I expressed my desire to read this book in English (cf. previous chapter 😄).
This book turned out to be a revelation 🌟. James Clear demonstrates that our relentless pursuit of grand actions is a dead end. Many stagnate because they aspire to achievements that most likely will not materialize.
Why ?
Because it’s not having an ambitious goal that allows you to achieve it !
The real victory lies in the system we build, in the coherent set of actions taken daily.
James Clear teaches us :
The crucial importance of habits. We are, fundamentally, creatures of habit. Our lives are a fabric woven with routines, so much so that without realizing it, we can navigate on autopilot from sunrise to sunset ! 🚶♂️🚶♀️
« You don’t rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your system.»
James Clear
This mantra resonates as a call to awakening. Every daily gesture, no matter how trivial, shapes our future.
From how we start our day, the journey to our work, our interactions, every detail matters and is part of a chain of habits that shapes the course of our existence.
The colossal impact of tiny actions, repeated tirelessly. I take the example of brushing teeth, an omission may seem inconsequential, but abandoning this practice leads to disastrous repercussions…
This principle applies to all aspects of life :
➡️ Occasional smoking may not kill us immediately, but the long-term habit steals years of life (8 to 10 years of healthy life expectancy less between a smoker and a non-smoker). 🚭
➡️ Learning a foreign language, abandoned due to impatience for immediate results, prevents any progress. 📚
➡️ Physical exercise, deemed useless after a few sessions because the scale remains unchanged, is nevertheless essential for well-being. 🏋️♂️
The distinction between good and bad habits lies in their immediate benefits :
The former build our future, yielding no immediate perceived benefits, while the latter reward us momentarily, often at the expense of our health or personal growth.
Asking ourselves whether to persist or abandon an action confronts us with its true value in our lives. Choosing our habits means choosing the life we want to lead. 🚗🚦
The power of small and repeated actions ✨🔄
If you begin to grasp the value of these small actions carried out diligently :
Perhaps you wouldn’t have abandoned that second language ten years ago, frustrated by seemingly nonexistent progress, under the mockery of your friends convinced that learning a language in six months was everyone’s business (a widespread myth, just like the idea that the Internet can make you a millionaire, a top athlete, or a famous YouTuber with the snap of your fingers).
Imagine, if you had persevered, today you would be fluent and certainly bilingual, because learning, once acquired, is an inalienable treasure !
This is the principle of compound interest 🌱.
These famous financial interests, often overlooked for their initial small impact, don’t simply add up ; they multiply, defying our usual psychological understanding of large numbers and exponential curves.
This concept of scalability, well-known in startups, also applies in psychology, where learning occurs in breakthroughs, or in sports, where progress is measured in successive stages (rather than progressively), demonstrating that development is never a linear path.
Marginal Gains : The Path to Excellence 🏆
Understanding and Applying Marginal Gains 🧠
The transformative journey of the England cycling team, narrated by James Clear,🚴♂️ perfectly illustrates the monumental impact of marginal gains. Once considered the “lanterne rouge” of world cycling, to the point where British bike manufacturers were hesitant to associate their image with it, this team underwent a stunning transformation.
Did Dave Brailsford, the visionary coach, set out to win the world title from the start? Absolutely not ❌. Such a lofty goal, due to its magnitude, could have sown doubt and undermined the morale of his troops.
His strategy ? Focus on marginal gains, these small optimizations that could improve performance, even by 0.1% or 1%. 🎯
Whether through tangible changes to equipment (bikes, gear) or seemingly trivial adjustments (choice of pillows, saddle design, cutting out sodas).
These micro-adjustments, though minimal individually, led to a spectacular cumulative effect :
➡️ Stunning results 🏆, transforming a once mediocre team into a cycling legend. 🚴♂️
➡️ A culture of continuous improvement, turning the pursuit of performance into an engaging game. 🎲
Over the course of a few years, this approach propelled the English team into the spotlight of cycling 🎉, establishing it as the most decorated team in history. Over a decade, it surpassed all records, becoming an unmatched model of success.
To go further, here are some adjustments that have been made.
To ponder 🧘♂️ :
Imagine applying this principle to our daily lives : a small modification, almost negligible, capable of improving one aspect of our life by 1% 💡.
Seemingly unimpressive, but consider the long-term effect, FOREVER ! 🌟.
Realize the magnitude : it’s revolutionary ! Of course, this new habit must be perpetuated 💪.
Understanding a habit for implementing marginal gains ! 🧩
To leverage marginal gains, it’s crucial to understand how habits work. They follow a fairly simple pattern, often described as a habit loop. The key to changing a habit ? Altering the established pattern.
Here’s how a habit is structured :
Trigger ➡️ Action ➡️ Reward
Let’s take a common example :
👉 You come home (trigger) ➡️ You grab a well-deserved beer (action) ➡️ You feel immediate pleasure (reward) (Side note : that also represents 133 empty calories, just for info 😉).
The trigger can come from various sources : a situation, a place, a person, etc.
👉 On the way to vacation 🚗, a stop at the highway rest area (trigger) ➡️ You enjoy a coffee from the machine ☕ (action) ➡️ It refreshes you and perpetuates a personal ritual (reward).
👉 During a restaurant outing 🍴 (trigger) ➡️ You indulge in a dessert 🍰 (action) ➡️ The satisfaction of a sweet treat (reward).
👉 During a period of boredom 😐 (trigger) ➡️ You immerse yourself in social media 📱 (action) ➡️ The receipt of likes socially validates your latest post (reward).
Understanding this loop provides valuable insight into how our daily actions intertwine to form habits, sometimes without us even realizing it.
By clearly identifying each component of the loop, we can deliberately adjust our behaviors to forge habits that promote marginal gains, thus propelling our personal and professional development to new heights. 🚀
Marginal Gains in Everyday Life 🌿🚀
After unveiling the mechanism of habits, let’s dive into the fascinating universe of marginal gains 🌌 :
Essentially, this law asserts that :
“The sum of small improvements 🛠️ and minor adjustments can lead to impressive results ✨.”
The popular saying “small streams make big rivers” perfectly illustrates this concept.
For the past two years, my ambition has been to reinvent myself. On the Internet 🌐, it’s common to encounter individuals seeking a better version of themselves.
However, this perspective didn’t quite satisfy me. My question was different : how can I embody the ULTIMATE* version of myself, the one that surpasses all others ? My ideal, aligned with my values ❤️.
I began this journey with modest adjustments, which may seem trivial to you :
➡️ Reading daily, even if it’s just one page. One page read is one page closer to progress 📖.
➡️ Incorporating a minimum of physical exercise (yes, even 5 minutes count) 🏋️♂️.
➡️ Disabling notifications on my mobile phone 📲.
➡️ Dedicate time to learning English, initially through classes, then through daily 10-minute sessions.
Despite a persistent focus on Pareto and his 20/80 actions, I simultaneously explored avenues of improvement that were misleading in the context of continuous progression :
For example, I was attracted to High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) programs that promise wonders in just a few minutes ⏱️… These programs are effective but will never yield as good results as a structured sports program with the environment that goes around it. It’s a tool in your overall routine.
I embraced the law of the good skeptic, meaning that even if it clashes with your beliefs, you test it, because sometimes you can make great discoveries !
The example of intermittent fasting proved to me that it was sometimes wise to question ancestral dietary habits.
My reflection on the influence of our thoughts on our perception of the world led me to keep a gratitude journal 📔, enriched by an improvement journal. I noted 128 changes in a year, averaging more than 10 adjustments per month 📈.
These experiences, these adjustments, although minor when taken individually, are part of a process of marginal gains, gradually transforming my reality a little more each day, leading me step by step towards this ULTIMATE* version of myself. (Whether I achieve it or not, the important thing is the journey to get there and the joy of experiencing the process!) 🛣️💫
*By “ultimate,” I mean discovering the maximum potential of which we are capable. The essential thing is to give it your all. Remember : you only have one life. THIS ONE !
The small (and numerous) personal adjustments🛠️✨
Here is an overview of my personal experiments, totaling 128 adjustments over the past year, averaging 10+ per month. Explore this non-exhaustive and unsorted list, reflecting the diversity of my improvement attempts :
➡️ Keeping a gratitude journal 📔 — A daily exercise to cultivate positivity. We tend to focus on the negative, but there’s plenty of positivity in our lives that we overlook if we don’t record it !
➡️ Using sticky notes during workouts 💪 — To note my progress and adjustments. My smartphone acts as a timer; I won’t interrupt it, and I can’t afford to lose an idea!
➡️ Enriching the gratitude journal 📔 with a new improvement 🌟 — With questions like “What did I do well today? What can I improve?” This allows for a constant cycle of questioning.
➡️ Creating a quote journal 📖 — Over 400 to date, a constant source of inspiration.
➡️ Practicing intermittent fasting on weekdays ⏲️ — And adopting it continuously if positive effects are observed.
➡️ Limiting alcohol to special occasions 🍷 — Strengthening discipline on a daily basis. Limiting unnecessary calorie intake (they’re empty calories).
➡️ Designing a weekly memento mori chart 🗓️ — A reminder of life’s fleeting nature. Each week, I check a box. I can see my life passing by and consciously focus my attention.
➡️ Disabling all phone notifications 🔕 — For flawless concentration. Fewer disruptions.
➡️ Airplane mode until noon 📴 — A morning dedicated to productivity and learning.
➡️ Scheduling calls starting from 2 p.m. 📞 — Prioritizing deep work and concentration.
➡️ Studying languages in the evening 🌙 — To test nocturnal memorization.
➡️ Changing the language study time (after morning exercise, for example) 🌤️ — To see the optimization difference in learning.
➡️ Removing added sugar from my diet 🚫🍬 — For optimized health. Removing morning and afternoon crashes.
➡️ Reorganizing the order of food intake 🥗 — Fibers, then proteins and carbohydrates, to stabilize energy and limit glycemic spikes.
➡️ Adjusting my workout schedule 🕔 — Finding the ideal time for exercise.
➡️ Prioritizing sleep 😴 — Going to bed earlier and incorporating a nap during the day.
➡️ Adjusting caffeine intake times ☕ — Reducing the impact on sleep and overall health.
➡️ Learning something new every day 📚 — Cultivating curiosity.
➡️ Optimizing my training with targeted programs 🏋️♂️ — Internet and Lafay as guides.
➡️ Banning the phone from the bathroom 🚫📱 — For disconnected breaks. I call it the poop’n’hack 💩 ! You save at least 15 minutes of your life every day by doing this!
➡️ Drawing inspiration from quotes on a black wallpaper 💬 — Changed monthly. It helps to stay inspired and on track during lulls.
➡️ Adopting time blocking ⌛ — Structuring my day differently.
➡️ Checking my emails with intention 📧 — No longer checking without intending to respond to save time.
➡️ Eating mindfully 🍏 — And observing the effect on my well-being. I scan all my articles in YUKA. Look at the ingredients in deli meats, it’s scary.
➡️ Working standing up 🖥️ — For better posture and more energy. Sitting is the worst position for a human.
➡️ Removing e-commerce sites from internet favorites 🚫: To avoid temptations.
This list, far from exhaustive, reflects my constant quest for optimization. Every small adjustment, no matter how minor, contributes to shaping my identity towards my ideal.
Perpetual Wins with Marginal Gains 🌱🏆
Transforming life into a quest for continuous improvement proves to be more than just a strategy :
It’s adopting a new mindset, both playful and extremely motivating.
Why is it so rewarding? Because every day, or nearly every day, every adjustment becomes a victory in itself 🏆 !
You engage in a process where progress is constant. Every gesture, no matter how small, propels you a little closer to your highest aspirations. 🌟
I strive to meticulously record every opportunity for improvement, regardless of the magnitude of its impact. This game of perpetual optimization turns the journey towards excellence into a series of daily successes, making the path to the best version of oneself not only enriching but also exciting 💡🎉.
The Limits of Pareto and the Emergence of Marginal Gains ⚖️
Retrospectively, the most significant habit adjustment lies in daily routines. Thanks to understanding the habit loop, integrating new practices has become a breeze for me, and now for you too 😉.
👉 The most striking example for me ?
Ceasing coffee consumption after 2 p.m. ☕ !
A seemingly minor change, but its impact on my quality of life has been monumental. This simple habit has facilitated my falling asleep, significantly improving my sleep.
Result : I’m now more rested, dynamic, less stressed, and my learning capacity has greatly increased ! This modest success has initiated a positive cycle of healthy habits, revealing to me the true essence of well-being 🔄. If I were to evaluate the ratio between implementation difficulty and impact using the Pareto method, I would attribute a ratio of 1/99!
Without this pursuit of marginal gains, I would never have considered changing the time of my last coffee, or exploring the impact of alcohol on my physical and mental health 🍷➡️🍇.
Today, I can proudly say that I have defeated my most formidable opponent : myself. Transformed, I savor a fulfilling and thriving existence, a state of mind I never thought I would achieve 🚀.
« Your habits are the silent architects of your life. »
Unknown
The key to the success of top CEOs lies in their routine :
Balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, and insatiable curiosity. By understanding and mastering the mechanisms of our body and mind, we can achieve optimal balance ⚖️.
But what about creative geniuses like Mozart, Einstein, or Elon Musk ? Their audacity and uniqueness set them apart 🌟. They are on a journey of perpetual improvement. The most innovative companies are not afraid to explore unconventional paths, constantly testing new ideas, and even learning from their mistakes.
For example, IBM prefers to retain an employee who has made a costly mistake rather than dismissing them, capitalizing on the experience gained 💡. Whereas we might tend to punish mistakes ! This is why in our culture we hesitate to take risks ! (Especially in France, hopefully, we are beginning to see a change, particularly with the new generation.)
You may not be Einstein or Elon Musk, but adopting a similar approach can radically transform your life and the way you work.
Strictly applying the Pareto principle could lead you to become “just like everyone else”. However, standing out means refusing to be interchangeable ⭐.
Questioning the universal application of Pareto🤨
In the realm of creative content, whether on YouTube or in blogging ✍️, confining oneself to the 20/80 rule can prove counterproductive.
Imagine yourself in the midst of creative momentum 🎨 : would you truly pause your ideas just because they don’t fit within this restrictive framework ? How then to nurture your progress ?
Personally, I appreciate the addition of thumbnails, emojis, as I firmly believe they enrich and clarify the conveyed message. Sure, I could do without them, but how to continue evolving, refining my art without these little touches 🖌️ ?
In reality, the Pareto principle is not a universal panacea, especially when it comes to creativity.
Have you ever explored ikigai 🌸 ? This Japanese concept aims to discover your “zone of genius,” where you’re not just good, but exceptional. This quest isn’t limited to identifying the most profitable actions in the short term. To find it, one must test and iterate well, and not just stick to the actions that seem the most profitable!
Incorporating marginal gains within a company culture creates a stimulating environment* : it motivates the team, refines processes, and transforms work into a game of continuous improvement. This approach proves particularly effective in a corporate culture imbued with a growth mindset.
Furthermore, marginal gains help us identify those famous Pareto actions and even discover actions, which I would qualify as SUPER-PARETO, that propel well beyond initial expectations.
Let’s take the example of my new coffee routine : a seemingly minor modification, but with profound repercussions on my quality of life.
Seemingly insignificant changes, but applied consistently throughout life, can have a considerable impact.
*That said, it’s evident that optimization strategies in a nuclear management company ☢️ will differ from those in a startup💡. Each domain requires a specific adaptation of marginal gains principles.
The counterexamples to the Pareto Principle 🔄
The counterexamples to the Pareto Principle illustrate the importance of not blindly applying this rule in all contexts 🚫.
While the Pareto Principle can offer valuable insights for prioritizing efforts in many domains, its universal application without considering the specific context can lead to ill-advised decisions 😕.
For example, in the case of mail-order businesses in the 2000s, relying solely on the Pareto principle to conclude that online commerce, representing only 1% of the business at the time, was not worth developing, led to the obsolescence of these companies in the face of more adaptive competitors like Amazon 🛒.
Amazon, in turn, succeeded by adopting the long-tail strategy, selling a wide variety of products in small quantities, demonstrating that niche markets and diversification can also lead to success.
The law of marginal gains, as we have seen, focuses on the accumulation of small advantages that, accumulated over the long term, can produce exceptional results.
This approach is particularly relevant for personal development, optimizing business processes, and even for societal and environmental changes 🌱. By focusing on small continuous improvements, it is possible to make significant progress that would have been overlooked by focusing only on the most profitable actions according to Pareto.
Thus, while the Pareto Principle can offer a useful method for identifying the most effective levers in certain situations, it is not a universal solution. It is a static snapshot that provides no information about dynamics and prospective environments.
Combining the Pareto Principle with the principles of marginal gains and a nuanced understanding of the specific context can lead to a much more robust and adaptive strategy 🔄, capable of successfully navigating the complexity of the modern world.
Conclusion: Rethinking Development Methods 💭
It becomes clear that Pareto, although frequently cited as a panacea, is not the universal remedy for all our efficiency quests.
It is worth recalling that the most profound transformations often occur in the shadows, on a microscopic scale 🔍.
“Start small, think big” should be our mantra.
While Pareto’s law can be useful in some circumstances, it may be limited, or even counterproductive, in areas such as sports 🏃, personal development 💡, excellence 🏆, and creativity 🎨.
⬇️⬇️⬇️
I want to express my gratitude for the attention you have given to these reflections.
I invite you to share your thoughts 💭, to challenge the ideas presented, and to enrich our discussion with your own perspectives. 🙏
*As I delved further, after writing this article, I encountered companies that embrace Kaizen, a Japanese philosophy focused on continuous and gradual improvement 🔄.
Although my knowledge on the subject is still nascent, it seems to me that Kaizen and the law of marginal gains share many similarities, both advocating for constant evolution through minor yet significant adjustments 🔍.
This discovery opens up new paths to explore and underscores the importance of remaining open and curious 🌟, always ready to integrate new principles that can guide us towards an improved version of ourselves and our organizations 🚀.
