Today, I’m taking you to Italy, at the end of the 19th century, to the garden of a certain Vilfredo Pareto.
A renowned economist and sociologist, he surely had no idea that one of his observations would influence the management of time, work, and even productivity centuries later.
The story goes that Pareto, observing his garden, noticed that only 20% of his land produced about 80% of the harvested fruit. Some arid lands produced very little… while others, well-exposed and properly irrigated, were much more productive. Intrigued by this uneven distribution, he began to wonder:
Is this trend reflected in other aspects of nature? Does it apply beyond his orchard?
Curious and methodical, he undertook extensive research. By studying economic and social data, he observed that this disproportion was also evident in the distribution of wealth in Italy:
20% of the population actually owned approximately 80% of the land and wealth.
This discovery led him to examine other areas, and he eventually formulated a general rule:
In many systems, a minority of causes produces the majority of effects.
So, even if the story of his garden is not formally proven, it remains an excellent metaphor to illustrate this law. And above all, it invites us to reflect on our own priorities.
🌱 So the next time you’re faced with an important choice, try to identify the actions that could bring you 80% of the results with only 20% of the effort. It’s up to you to cultivate your garden and reap the rewards of efficiency!
📍 I’ll see you soon with new inspiring stories from around the world.
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphael-renaux-37b5551/
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