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Dear Friends,
I'd like to request your support for a small awareness exercise. It should not take you more than 5 or 10 mins.
I am reading a fascinating book called the "80/20 Individual" which is about the "Pareto principle". I'd like to share a few key insights from this book with you.
The Pareto principle was discovered by an Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto in 1897, and was popularized by quality guru JM Juran. Japan used this principle between 1957 & 1989 to become the world's fastest growing industrial economy. This principle states that 80% of consequences comes from 20% of causes. In other words, 80% of our successful results are determined by just 20% of our efforts.
When we focus on developing the 20% "vital few" qualities that we are truly good at, as opposed to the 80% or "trivial many", we are on the road to true mastery and extraordinary accomplishment. William Shakespeare said in Hamlet: "This above all: to thine own own self be true; and it follows as the night the day; thou can'st not then be false to any man". Our work is first to identify our truly distinctive, unique, positive, creative, imaginative & productive self ...the 20% or less that contributes to 80% and more of our results. Second, we need to nurture and grow this 20% so we can be of true benefit to the world .
Psychologists who study great leaders in various fields of human endeavour have discovered that such leaders are not well-rounded. They have a distinctive strength that is unusually powerful. Lets call it their "20% spike". We all have such a distinctive spike. What separates the great leaders from the rest is that they train & develop their 20% spike to Olympian standards. In other words, this research is saying that instead of focusing on "improving your weaknesses", give all your attention to further "developing your strengths". Find the 20% or less that you are outstandingly good at and find other people to do the rest.
If you are not good at something, don't do it! Focus only on your core strengths.
Strangely, even though human beings are the most differentiated & specialized of the world's species, we spend much our time denying our uniqueness and individuality. Creative individuals are different. They are less keen to "fit in" to the "reality" as it is defined by other people of their time. George Bernard Shaw understood this. He said:"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable one persists in adapting the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man".
The purpose of this email is to request you to answer a few questions so I can identify my 20% spike. In turn you are welcome to ask the same questions to yourself and the friends/ relatives who know you well and they can help you identify your 20% spike.
So dear friend, please answer the following. No need to think too much, please share whatever appears top of mind...
1) What sort of thing really excites Nithya Shanti? What have you heard him be most passionate about?
2) Imagine that Nithya becomes famous in his lifetime. What possible of things may he be celebrated for?
3) What is the single most distinctive thing about Nithya that defines above all his individuality? What is most different/ unique about him?
4) What do you think Nithya would be happiest and most fulfilled doing?
5) What one thing is Nithya best at, and better at than anyone else you know?
6) What occupation /role do you think Nithya is best suited to?
7) Think laterally about a different new arena or activity that Nithya might be excellent at, preferably far removed from his current one. Be creative and surprising, perhaps not even entirely serious.
8) If Nithya Shanti were to start a new venture that becomes amazingly successful, what might that enterprise be? Use your imagination.
I'm truly grateful that you are taking the time to help me develop my self-awareness with this exercise.
It is one of the best things one can do for a friend!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Peace & early morning sun rays...
Nithya Shanti
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No young man starting in life could have better capital than plenty of friends.
They will strengthen his credit, support him in every great effort, and make him what,
unaided, he could never be. Friends of the right sort will help him more to be happy
and successful - than much money.
- Orison S. Marden
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