Value is not related to time, but to ideas.

Karen Ho
HackerNoon.com
3 min readJan 27, 2016

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The value of time, just like everything else, can be explained by the 80/20 principle. Less than 20% of totally time worked leads to 80% of total wealth creation, and not just money related activities, but those define a civilised society, such as the extension of education, social insurance, and the creation of beautiful objects.

Value is not related to time, but to ideas. Once we realise this, we become free.

A month of Albert Einstein’s life creates a great deal more than most people are likely to achieve in a life-time. If this sounds depressing, consider an hour or a year of your life might achieve something that is hundreds or thousands of times more valuable you have yet created.

Value is not related to time, but to ideas.

Collaboration and power of intent of human beings to do what we do. The further up the value ladder we climb the more this is true. In creative work, including all the best work from executives, value is hardly related to time at all. Once we realise this, we become free. We never again fear that we do not have enough time. Time itself does not create stress, we do — by thinking that our value is constrained by the amount of time we put in.

Find your core

If you’re unsure what your core is, experiment until you’ve found what makes you click — the unique new role that will allow you reach glorious new heights, that make sure that your core overlaps and is compatible with the core of the business where you work. If it isn’t at the moment, move to a place where it is.

Once you’ve found your core, you found meaning. When you’ve found meaning, the boundaries between work and play, service and self-expression, humility and success, , obligation and freedom, dissolve utterly. Meaning transcents them all, because your life is worthwhile, and all of your talents and values are totally engaged. The principle tells us a few unique characteristics distinguish you from everyone else. The few things that you have truly mastered and which you care deeply will enable you to achieve exceptional results.

Focus on the extremes

Everyone focuses on averages. However, the business is driven by extremes. Beneath every average, there are a few terrific forces and a mass of mediocre and bad ones. The trick is to work out which is which.

Ask yourself the following questions

1) Are a few products or customers super profitable? The answer is always yes

2) What powerful idea could turbo charge my business and my career?

3) Who is achieving great results and how?

4) How can I do something important 10 or 20 times better?

5) How can I get much more with much less?

6) Who is my most important customer?

7) Which single thing is holding me back more than anything else?

Ignore the rest

Focus on the 20%that delivers you the most value, and ONLY focus on that.

Ignore the rest.

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If you enjoyed this story, we recommend reading our latest tech stories and trending tech stories. Until next time, don’t take the realities of the world for granted!

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Karen Ho
HackerNoon.com

Co-Founder and CEO at Gravel AI. Ex-RELX. Data Product Enthusiast.