Maximize Your Strengths: Be Deliberate with the 80/20 Rule
TL;DR: Be deliberate. Spend 80% of your time on strengths, 20% on weaknesses, and make every minute count.
From Shane Parrish: "School tests weaknesses. Life rewards strengths.
Spending more time on our weakest areas is tempting, but life mostly rewards us for investing in our strengths. Imagine a student who struggles with math but excels at writing. In school, they might spend hours raising their math grades from a C to a B. However, spending the same time on writing might move them from an A to an A+. Focusing on math makes sense when you're taught to think in grades. It doesn't make sense if you think about life. The difference between an A and an A+ in writing ability might mean the difference between a New York Times bestseller read by millions and a book that only 100 people read. Address weaknesses only to the point where they stop holding you back. Then concentrate effort on your strengths."
From James Clear: "Don't over-improve your weaknesses. If you're not good at something, work on it until it no longer prevents your progress, but the bulk of your time is better spent maximizing your strengths."
I tackled this topic in a post titled "I’m not Mozart," and expanded on it in our book "Big Things F@$t".
Today, let’s continue the conversation and address a few questions that I've fielded from mentees and readers alike—questions like:
How do I know when I'm working on strengths versus weaknesses?
How should I split my time between the two?
How deliberate should I be about splitting my time, and what is the optimal time?
To determine whether you're working on strengths versus weaknesses and how to split your time between them optimally, you first need to identify what they are.
Let’s dive in.
Identifying Strengths vs. Weaknesses
Self-Assessment: Begin by evaluating yourself or using tools like the ones we discuss in "Big Things F@$t" (e.g., Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder). Reflect on what comes naturally to you and where you consistently achieve strong results (strengths), versus areas where you struggle and drain your energy (weaknesses).
Feedback Loop: Engage in a feedback loop with trusted colleagues, mentors, or coaches. This can help you identify blind spots—areas where you may think you’re strong but aren’t, or where you may underestimate your abilities.
Splitting Your Time
Apply the 80/20 Rule: A good rule of thumb is to spend 80% of your time maximizing your strengths and 20% on improving weaknesses just enough so they don’t hinder your progress. This principle aligns with the idea of the Progressive Engagement Map from "Big Things F@$t", where you focus on leveraging your strengths while being mindful of your shadows (weaker areas).
Deliberate Practice: In areas of strength, engage in deliberate practice to move from good to great. For weaknesses, focus just enough to make sure they don’t hold you back, then shift your energy back to building on your strengths.
Being Deliberate
Strategic Planning: Use tools like the Progressive Engagement Map and the Return on Experimentation framework from "Big Things F@$t" to create a plan. This plan should include measurable goals for both enhancing strengths and addressing critical weaknesses. Reflect regularly on your progress, adjusting the time spent on each area based on outcomes.
Reflection and Adjustment: Regularly review your approach. Are you seeing more significant returns by investing in your strengths? Are your weaknesses becoming less of a barrier? Use these reflections to adjust how you allocate your time.
Optimal Time Allocation
Test and Learn: There's no one-size-fits-all ratio. Start with the 80/20 rule, then tweak it based on what works best for you. For instance, if you find that your weaknesses are still holding you back significantly, you might temporarily increase the time you spend on them but always return to focusing on your strengths as the primary driver of success.
Call to Action
Reflect on your current approach: Are you focusing enough on your strengths? How can you apply the 80/20 rule more effectively in your professional development? Most importantly, how can you be more deliberate about tracking your development over time?
We recommend using any or all of the tools in "Big Things F@$t" to help you on your journey to breakthrough impact.
Disclaimer: The insights and strategies discussed in this newsletter are based on the tools and methodologies from "Big Things F@$t" and are intended as general guidelines. While we have seen that these tools can significantly enhance leadership practices, their effectiveness may vary depending on individual circumstances, organizational culture, and specific team dynamics. We encourage readers to adapt and modify these recommendations to fit their unique contexts and to consider additional factors that may influence outcomes. Simply stated, the effectiveness of any tool or strategy is contingent upon its implementation and the environment in which it is used.
Are you interested in improving your or your team’s effectiveness? Reach out anytime at https://www.effectivedirection.com/contact